Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a fabric that changes shape in response to hot and cold temperatures.

According to its developers, the fabric, which is dubbed FibeRobo, is a programmable, shape-changing smart fiber composed of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) that enable the fabric to become more insulated in colder temperatures and less insulated in warmer temperatures.

Source: MIT

The MIT team engineered the new threads by initially designing a glue gun-like machine that excretes heated LCE resin through its nozzle. Then, the fiber is subsequently cured using ultra violet (UV) light, submerged in oil, then cured again via stronger UV rays. The LCE thread was then spooled and powder dipped, thereby making it easier to install in textile production machines. The researchers report that they can manufacture around 1 km of usable fiber in one day.

The final result is a fiber that contracts when exposed to heat and expands when temperatures drop — all without the use of external sensors or interwoven components.