Smart materials

Ghent
R&D manager Coating & Finishing Technologies

Novel generation of biobased and bioinspired sustainable smart technical textile materials to address current and future energy needs.

The main goal is to create a smart bandage that can monitor biological parameters in real-time to detect infections or slow wound healing. Additionally, it will contain a hydrogel with drugs that can be released when needed.

Development of a new, bio-based, smart and completely recyclable composite material, obtained by fast and low energy consumption out-of-autoclave process.

By creating a versatile hybrid plug & play wearable sensor technology platform, expertise in functional skin adhesives and smart textiles will be combined with the aim of making wearable technology more accessible to SMEs.

SUINK will do away with large amounts of copper cables in millions of cars by replacing them with bio-based piezoelectric modules. It is a great example of how a novel technology can reduce the use of raw materials while increasing the bio-based and/or recycled content in the automotive sector.

SmartX is short for "European Smart Textiles Accelerator". Innovation projects supported through the SmartX Accelerator programme will focus on connecting promising design prototypes and a growing end market interest in smart textiles and wearables.

Smart textiles are able to sense and respond to changes in their environment, increasing as such their functionality to the wearer. The main application fields of smart textiles are safety and protection (e.g. technical textiles and workwear), medical support (e.g. monitoring of the elderly) and performance enhancement (e.g. fitness and sport).

CONTEXT brings together European researchers, manufacturers and main relevant stakeholders in order to develop joint ideas and initiatives which can be turned into advanced smart textile products.