An industry day event will take place on 16 June in Cambridge, MA, where visitors will learn more and join a vibrant team of innovators working to strengthen that manufacturing ecosystem.

Breakthroughs in materials and processes

Recent breakthroughs in fibre materials and textile manufacturing processes will soon allow us to design and produce fabrics that see, hear, sense, communicate, store and convert energy, regulate temperature, monitor health, and change colour.

That will be the dawn of a fabric revolution for diverse markets, according to MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The US Department of Defence has announced a public-private partnership to address this manufacturing innovation opportunity, for a manufacturing innovation institute in revolutionary fibres and textiles for defence and civilian markets.

AFFOA Institute

The AFFOA Institute will accelerate widespread commercialization of highly functional fabrics built on a simple premise: functional fabrics necessitate deep fibre innovation and predictive manufacturing for flexible, first-to-market manufacturing opportunities.

AFFOA is strategically positioned to deliver advances across the entire fabric supply chain, and seeks partnerships in this national fabric innovation network. Those involved in design, making, modelling, measuring, supplying or integrating fibres, yarns, and fabrics for defence and civilian applications from apparel to medical sensors, can apply to join the AFFOA team.

www.web.mit.edu