polymer and color chemistry student<\/a>, says. \u201cI created a cross section of this market, and to the best of my knowledge, this is what technology in this cutting edge field looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nPruett then translated this information into videos that explain the differences in these gloves. What she\u2019s found is that the technology in your gloves is far from the technology in the lab. In fact, most of it was developed in the 1980s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA lot of the technology is kind of similar across the board. It just depends on the actual materials of the fabric,\u201d she says. \u201cThe technology components aren't all that different across the different price points.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caitlin Knowles is dedicating a portion of her dissertation in fiber and polymer science to determining the state-of-the-art in the e-textile field and how it can be advanced. She says the challenge lies in how to produce this new e-textile technology at a manufacturing scale in a way that\u2019s both reliable and economical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe research I\u2019m doing is lab-based enough that industry members are excited about it, but it\u2019s not so advanced that they hear about it and say, \u2018Oh, no, we can never actually do that. That's totally unrealistic,\u201d Knowles says. \u201cI love being able to see the science that we're doing in full prototypes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She says Pruett\u2019s help over the summer was invaluable in allowing her to focus on the fabrication and simulation part of her research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
From her REU, Pruett has not only further developed her scientific communication skills but also gained a more holistic understanding of textile science and formed new connections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere's been a really awesome sense of community,\u201d she says. \u201cSo everybody is supported, everybody's listened to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She says she wrapped up her REU with more questions than answers. She did answer one big question, though \u2014 What\u2019s next? Pruett plans to pursue a Ph.D. at the Wilson College once she graduates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are questions that I have developed in this lab that I'll be working on answering for the next six years, which is awesome to say because it means that there's a gap in the research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Help Provide Opportunities for Students<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Grants and the generosity of faculty made this summer\u2019s expanded TECS REU program at Wilson College possible. Additional funding will be necessary in order for this level of programming to return next year. If you want to contribute to the valuable experiential learning of the next generation of textile industry leaders, please donate to the TECS Enhancement Fund.<\/a><\/p>\n"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Wilson College of Textiles students are discovering how e-textiles can improve heating technology and increase the application of electrocardiograms. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":28196,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"caption\":\"\",\"displayCategoryID\":2135}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[742,512,502,479],"tags":[2441,2442,1143,1055,504,2443,544,1382],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"
Undergraduates, Ph.D. Students Advance E-Textile Research - Wilson College of Textiles<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n