Specialty Fabrics Review May 2021 - 17

Cinnamon is the secret in a new
odor-controlling fabric

N

ovoleap Co. Ltd. (Koup) has developed a shirt using fabric made
from recycled plastic bottles infused with cinnamon extract, which
the company says is an antimicrobial that can prevent odor-causing
bacteria. Cinnamon has a natural compound, cinnamaldehyde, that
provides the antimicrobial properties. " My background in textiles prompted
me to search for eco-friendly textile technologies that can make a
difference, " says Koup shirt co-founder Brian Chuang. " The way cinnamon
works is that it inhibits the growth of sweat-eating bacteria, keeping you
smelling fresh. " The Koup shirts don't smell like cinnamon, however, as
the aroma evaporates during the yarn-making process. In addition to being
odor blocking, the shirts are lightweight and quick drying. Photo: Koup.

Biomedical engineers develop
'smart' sensor bandages

D

uring the pandemic,
many people have
turned to virtual
doctor appointments as
a safer alternative to inperson visits. Researchers
at Missouri University of
Science and Technology
(Missouri S&T) are working
to make this new wave
of telemedicine more
Smart bandages being scanned by Olajide Adetunji, a
Ph.D. student in chemistry. The bandages are a part of
successful by creating
Dr. Chang-Soo Kim's electrical engineering research
an oxygen-sensing
project. Photo: Michael Pierce, Missouri S&T.
patch printed on a
flexible, disposable bandage that can interact with a smartphone. This
smart bandage could enable remote monitoring for the early detection
of illnesses such as pressure ulcers, allowing for immediate treatment
or intervention. " Our work focuses on designing and optimizing a tissue
oxygen sensor by using inexpensive inkjet printing techniques, " says Dr.
Chang-Soo Kim, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the
university. " Concurrently, we are developing a smartphone app that can
interpret sensor images. This prototype will be evaluated using phantom
tissue that mimics a pressure ulcer site. "

Device
powered
by body heat

R

esearchers at the University
of Colorado Boulder have
developed a wearable device
that transforms the human body
into a biological battery. The
device is stretchy enough to
be worn like a ring or another
accessory that fits on the skin.
By employing thermoelectric
generators, the device can convert
the body's internal temperature
into electricity. " In the future, we
want to be able to power your
wearable electronics without
having to include a battery, " says
Jianliang Xiao, senior author of
the paper published recently in
Science Advances and an associate
professor in the university's
Department of Mechanical
Engineering. The device can
generate enough electricity to
power electronics like watches
or fitness trackers and provides
constant power. It also offers a
clean alternative to traditional
batteries that lose power and must
be replaced. Photo: Xiao Lab.
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Specialty Fabrics Review May 2021

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