Applications of Soft Materials In Future Clothing
It all begins with an idea.
Nan Yu
Introduction
In recent years, human society has made a lot of breakthroughs in the field of soft robots. For example, industrial robotic arms created by SRT have been able to lift things like raw egg yolks. Such technological innovations will largely improve the daily lives of people with physical disabilities. The introduction of soft and flexible materials into fashion clothes can improve the lives of a large number of marginal groups, such as OLs or OGs, coal miners, and take-out couriers.
In 2011, Harvard scientists have broken new ground in robotics with the development of a ‘soft’, silicone-like robots. Modeled on creatures like squid and octopus, the robots create systems that can camouflage themselves or help them stand out in the environment. China also started such research in 2016. All the fields involved in China were applied in industrial production such as medical treatment and food sorting. In 2020, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital began rehabilitation treatment of soft Robot series products.
Programme of study
At present, in my first project, I intend to discover the application of Soft System in fashion design. Those garments will combine fashionable outlook and wearable interactive medical products, targeting the elderly and the disabled as the main consumer groups. This project aiming to bring an independent mobility in a lower cost for patients with muscle injuries and enhance empathy design for disabled elderly. For the project, I divided the population into three groups of people. The first group is those who have difficulty to stand, the second group is those who couldn’t walk, and the remaining group is those have back injuries. I conducted a detailed study to explore the muscle morphology and body tissue changes of various groups, as well as the matching degree between the plate of clothing and the disease group, and applied pressure devices to intelligently sense air pressure according to different groups. Finally, I designed a Soft Robot garment that provides comfort and graded pressure corresponding to the severity of muscle injury.
Soft Robot-inflatable device works as a part of the flexible exoskeleton. It benefits the elderly and vulnerable group in three aspects. First, it can strengthen the interaction between the body and clothing, which can relieve and assist in the treatment of limb muscle injury. Secondly, I design a network customized production system, so that people with physical injuries around the world can customize their own versions as needed. Finally, It will enhance the mental state of the patients, who sees it as a covering that brings protection, enhancement, and a good feeling. Besides those benefits, I established a sustainable recycling system for waste silicone clothing products to avoid material pollution.
1Evaluation
At present, smart clothes have the advantages of helping people with muscle injury recovery or improving their independent living and mobility. However, most smart clothing lacks the design of adaptability to human muscles, and does not fit with muscle shapes. Therefore, I am working on enhancing the stability and suitability of the inflatable structure of the silicone device according to the muscle structure of the human body, including experiments on the amount of gas inflation and combination of intelligent pneumatic device with fashion designs.
Silicone material has strong malleable and it is easy to obtain with low cost, however, the sustainable recycling systems of silicone are extremely rare in the clothing industry, which could lead to huge wastes. Therefore, a silica gel material recycling system is designed to reduce the material cost and which is also can be easily marketized. Based on this, I will explore and complete the application of flexible bespoke systems for the future personal fashion industry.
Research sources
SOFT ROBOTICS.Homepage.softroboticsinc.Retrieved August 3, 2019,from https://www.softroboticsinc.com
Harvard University.(2012, August 16).Harvard researchers demonstrate soft robot camouflage system [Video file].Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC1WFU4G-WU&t=2s
SOFT ROBOTICS.news.softrobottech.Retrieved August 3, 2019, from
http://www.softrobottech.com
Bibliography
Hou Jiaoyi, Shi Yuntai, Li Zihao,... & Ning Dayong.(2020).Numerical simulation and experi mental study on flexible buoyancy material of hollow glass microsphere and silicone rubber for small deep-sea soft robots. Applied Materials Today.
Huang Wenkai, Xiao Junlong & Xu Zhipeng.(2020). A variable structure pneumatic soft robot. Scientific Reports(1).
Kim Hyun, Ahn Suk kyun, Mackie David M., Kwon Jinhyeong, Kim Shi Hyeong, Choi Changsoon... & Ko Seung Hwan.(2020). Shape morphing smart 3D actuator materials for micro soft robot. Materials Today(prepublish).
Al Mahmud Abdullah,Wickramarathne Tharushi Indeewari & Kuys Blair.(2020). Effects of smart garments on the well-being of athletes: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open(11).
Shi Qiushan, Pan Li, Yao Tong & Wang Jun.(2020). Research status and development trend of smart wearable devices for waist and back health. Progress of Textile Technology (12),1-5. Doi:10.19507/j.cnki.1673-0356.2020.12.001.
The future of the AR fashion industry
It all begins with an idea.
Nan Yu
1. Introduction 1.1My Question
What will humans wear in a hundred years? According to statistic analysis made by environmental scientists at present, I am trying to draw a probable picture of the ecological environment in 100 years from now, as for how human beings will survive in what kind of environment, how they may feel, and how much the earth will change. When resources are exhausted, how can clothes serve humans? With higher temperature and more frequent climate changes, what living conditions will be? Do we still need clothes? How will humans develop their relationship with the earth?
1.2 Fashion Industry Introduction and Prediction
The fashion industry causes a huge amount of carbon footprint during the process of production. For example: it is estimated a single polyester t-shirt has emissions of 5.5 kg CO2, compared with 2.1 kg CO2 for one made from cotton. The fashion industry is responsible for 10 % of annual global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. At this pace, the fashion industry's greenhouse gas emissions will surge more than 50% by 2030. According to the oil and gas company BP's research, we will run out fossil fuels before 2100. The most prevalent resource used in the fashion industry among these three is oil, and it will probably run out in 52 years. First of all, we chose to set the time line as 2100 because by then:the problem of lack of petroleum would be serious enough and alternatives for petroleum products (including synthetic fabrics) are urgently needed. Secondly, it is remote yet not unfathomable for us to image how the world is going to change. Thirdly, other problems due to fossil fuel shortage will emerge. (combined with lack of coal and gas)
2. AR Fashion in Future World 2.1 World background in 2100
By 2100, fossil fuels will have been exhausted, and global temperature will continue to rise, which will make it difficult for humans to live. Even though provided with advanced science and technology, men will find it hard to adapt to the extreme events caused by the rising temperature. With the excessive consumption of resources, carbon emissions cannot be efficiently balanced, giving rise to more frequent atmospheric activities and higher temperature of the earth, which will cause further damage to the deteriorating environment. Synthetic fiber, the raw material for clothes produced in the petroleum industry, will become extremely scarce and expensive. Although the scarcity of resources has been alleviated due to the emergence of this new material, the cost and difficulty of production will still stand in its way of mass production. As a result, the price of daily clothes will become pretty high. So comfort and durableness will not stop people from pursuing beauty. Therefore, with the help of technological methods, people are looking for affordable and fashionable clothes online, which is an easy way for everyone in the world to have an access to fashion. Meanwhile, men will be forced to work, socialize and entertain in the virtual world affected by the terrible external environment and limited natural resources .
2.2 The Relationship between Virtual Reality
Therefore, what will the fashion industry of 2100 be like? In the era of advanced science and technology, we have been blessed by the the establishment of virtual world. Actually, digital twins are the copy of real objects in the virtual world. Instead of being one type of technology or concept, the fashion system of digital twins should represent humans’ ultimate goal of understanding the world. In fact, there was originally a natural world on the earth in the beginning, then a human world arose before a digital world with the advent of computers. As a matter of fact, digital twins serve as a bridge which can break the barriers among these three worlds.
2.1 How does the Future of the Fashion Industry Integrate with AR?
As for clothes, they must be sustainable in the future. With the advancement of science and technology in 2100, clothes will be characterized by environmental protection and technology since some durable daily clothes will be handed out by the government. In terms of technology, future clothes will be equipped with a pair of AR glasses, which are much lighter than the previous ones. With regard to clothes given by the government, they are designed in a simple style, but is waterproof, air-permeable, and UV-resistant, which will be suitable for the extreme environment in 2100. In terms of environmental protection, clothes handed out by the government are mostly made of sustainable bio-fiber materials such as corn, seaweed, pineapple, food residues, DNA molecules, silver ions, etc, which are sustainable and anti-viral. Besides, clothes made from the above-mentioned materials can dissolve under specific conditions, and will pro zero pollution in the process of manufacturing.
Although the lifestyle in the future will be completely different from that of today, decorative clothes, not the necessary purchasing items for clothes, yet requires a sophisticated process of production, will be sold on a large scale in the future AR mall because people can browse through virtual fashionable clothes through AR glasses and other devices. What is more, the price of clothes in the AR mall is much lower than those in physical stores, so the designs will remain online, which can be regarded as the formation of a new chain of virtual fashion industry. It is foreseeable that with the gradual deterioration of the environment, decorative clothes will play their role in the virtual world and the virtual AR world will become a part of human society.
3. Conclusion
This paper makes some predictions of fashion in one hundred years, discusses about the future fashion industry, offers a few suggestions and hypotheses about the future, raise questions and work out solutions. It is important for the fashion industry to achieve more sustainable development for people, the environment, and fashion in the future. I really hope to know more about designing in an integrated way, study the future, and tackle social problems effectively in
the later courses.
Research sources
Xiaolaimi, (2020). Fantasies about the future city. ZHIHU, [online] Available at:<https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/56333869>
Cailiaoren,(2019). Natural DNA may replace petroleum as plastic. [online] Available at:<http://www.migelab.com/Article/articleDetails/aid/19461.html>
[online] Available at:<http://www.simplyenviro.com/fossil-fuel>
Robin Young,Allison Hagan, (2019).the environmental cost of fashion.Wbur, [online] Available at:<https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/12/03/fast-fashion-devastates-environment>
W*, (2020). The birth of the first blockchain virtual fashion.Wallpaper, [online] Available at:<https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dYWQTOHQ_IKv1716T1UVGg>
Appendices
[1]Park Hyun Hee. A Study on the Consumer Use Effect of AR Fashion Retail Technology: Moderating Effect of Technology Readiness[J]. Fashion & Textile Research Journal,2019,21(6).
2]Chen Qian Qian,Dai Ming Yue,Park Hyun Jung. User Experience and Satisfaction of Augmented Reality Applications -Focused on Chinese Fashion Consumers[J]. Journal of Digital Convergence,2019,17(10).
Meta-World Rethinking
It all begins with an idea.
Gabi Asfour's work gives me a sense of the wild patterns of plants and animals on the body, combined with the structure of the garment. Gabi's patterns are like those in a digital world. His designs use different pops of rainbow colors, so you can see that digital fashion is very psychic and fly-like in his work. He is also willing to experiment with new materials to express this sense of proto-universal presence. I looked at his accessories, and the shoes have a great metallic expression in the colors, while the blockiness of the soles has a futuristic feel.
Gabi Asfour‘s concept of the meta-universe about retail is very good, but the power of this concept to continue to develop is very small because the capital has produced a shift. Therefore, the technological route will develop very slowly due to capital migration. Specifically, “When retailers were forced to reimagine how they do business, a new way of shopping was born; virtual retail or v-commerce. Rather than having to click through photos on a website, retailers meet customers online and showcase products through virtual-retail platforms” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). In my opinion, the fundamentals of retail cannot change. I have lived in both China and the US, and the logistics of e-commerce in China are far more efficient than in the US, but this does not add to the happiness and the model does not add diversity to the brand. The capital effect of the brand would be much more pronounced. In short, about the capital generated by the technology problem, at present, ar and vr's most needed work is how to make the product technology. This is the core of retail development to the end: the key to let the customer touch the texture and material of the fabric.
The article also mentions that, “Some fashion brands have found the v-commerce experience performs better than physical retail from a revenue driving perspective because it broad- ens their customer base, triggering a major rethink around staffing and how stores are designed” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). However, I do not think this is feasible because the meta-universe is already at the end stage of establishment, and the society cannot develop without the power of capital. The capital now flows to AI technology. The change of society has been transformed by the meta-universe into AI, but the development of AI is very uncontrollable. As a result, there is a great possibility of this producing an economic crisis, similar to when the internet was the most prevalent form of capital.
There are many virtual economic products mentioned midway through Redding’s article. For example: “Imagine engaging in an internet that is so lifelike and enhanced, it lives paral- lel to your own physical existence. Fashion brands see the opportunities the
metaverse provides by combining community and a new way for consumers to shop. It represents another channel in an omnichannel line-up” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). Nevertheless, I do not think it is a product that will make society grow in the long run, since the meta-universe, in my opinion, is at this stage in which the value of the concept is most important. After all, humans are carnal animals, and people depend on the development of the real economy. If the meta-universe flourishes, then who will keep the real economy running? There is no way for people to survive long in the virtual world, so the development in the reason has a certain limit. I think now, we have reached a state of stopping; it is the time to produce the specific mode of landing formation.
There are many examples of industries in the article as well, but all these examples are already in the past tense. In order for tech companies to hold their ground and grow in the tech industry, they must embrace the strength of the group, which means pushing together to make AI so that they may advance to make sure AI is productized as soon as possible.
Ideas are always the most important aspect of producing. I very much agree and have said so many times. As Redding states, “Since fashion is the ‘mirror of the time’, consumers who feel shut in by pandemic rules and constraints may indulge more freely in alternate realities. Adding a tech device through AR/VR that offers more realis- tic shopping and entertainment features does not appear to be too far-fetched as fashion brands are now looking heavily to compete in this new market” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). I very much agree with the words here, specifically with the shadow source universe of fashion, because being addicted to the virtual world is a state, but we can use another form of expression to shape the sense of experience, rather than constantly being shaped by the technology of AR or VR. Technology can be replaced, but creation is difficult to replace.
In summary, I like the new ideas brought by the metaverse to the fashion industry, but I do not think the sudden production of technology will bring a far-reaching impact to the fashion industry, since the fashion industry and the internet industry are in a different development scenario, and the fashion industry model is more traditional. It is very difficult to integrate high-speed technology products into the fashion industry and even more so to productize them.
Rethinking Disability
It all begins with an idea.
Design is more about solving problems, but Lucy Jones is concerned with how to get better. This is a great idea to me, because often it is our consciousness that assumes that this is a problem, but as society evolves and philosophical concepts are introduced, the problem itself is not the problem, our design methodology is what causes the problem to exist. To take an example of disability, designers and scientists who solve disability problems think that disability is a problem, but disability is not a problem, they are a minority group. Many times we design to solve problems from the wrong point of view, we need to consider more than the design expression, but how to make each other live better.
In the article there is mention of medical examples, the 20th century was a turning point in the shift from functional to psychological needs, which meant that people's thinking started to turn to how to help people move around, rather than directly defining the source of the problem as the difference in behavior between the majority and minority groups. The development of products in society is tied to society, and disability clothing serves the human body. “The origins of research into clothing for people with physical disabilities in the twentieth century are entrenched in this idea of rehabilitation and self-help…Researcher Adeline Hoffman says that the idea of clothing as a rehabilitative tool in children’s hospitals began when doctors, therapists, and nurses found that the acts of dressing and undressing improved the physical and cognitive skills of children with disabilities”This unconscious behavior is actually the most important part of the user population research. This behavior also represents a medical awakening to the ways of recovery, as well.
The article mentions the development of the hospital training initiative for children, a moment in history when people transformed their perceptions, from solving their problems to how to make them better. “In the 1940s, a change in philosophy involved an increase in the teaching of independence skills, and clothing, together with the acts of dressing and undressing, became a key factor.” Regarding the psychological design, Lucy Jones wrote about doing a lot of aspects of the product to make it easier for users. speech-wheelchair related product design, but this product allows people with disabilities to feel better, they can go out and buy a drink on their own without needing a caregiver to help them get a cup.
Imagine if designers were how to make life better, not solve problems. Because the product design is tied to the psychology of the user of the product. I have two examples around me, one is hearing and one is someone who can't walk very well. They are my grandfather and grandmother. My grandfather didn't want to wear hearing aids and my grandmother didn't want to walk with crutches, the reason behind both is because they don't want others to think I am old and I have health problems. Therefore, we should pay more attention to the psychology of the user when designing, and structure-oriented products can achieve better results, and from the business perspective, the products can also sell better.
With regard to psychological design, Lucy Jones has done many aspects of design to make the product more user-friendly. For example, product design related to wheelchairs is not so much about how the wheelchair is designed to be more clever and ergonomic, too many engineers focus on that area, but more about what the person using the wheelchair really needs?This product by Lucy Jones allows people with disabilities to go out and buy a drink on their own, without needing a caregiver to help them carry the cup. Imagine a daily routine without having to hold a cup in your hand worrying about spilling water in a bag somewhere next to your wheelchair... a new minority lifestyle is defined!
The same feedback and back to the business perspective regarding Lucy Jones' hearing aspect of product design! Not just design and psychology! Specifically, the appearance of the product most directly affects whether consumers buy it or not. When we design a product, we are most basic in positioning the functionality of the product, which is undoubtedly a core aspect of price setting, but with the same or similar functionality, people are more willing to buy a product that looks good. I'm wearing this product because I'm sick, I'm old, I'm not like everyone else who has a problem... Instead, I tried this cool headset that made me feel like I was a hipster and a fine accessory, without the psychological burden. I think that's the point of design, to really serve people while being artistically expressive.
To sum up, I will define a good design direction based on making people's lifestyle better, then explore the problem, constantly reflect on design and the definition of a good lifestyle, and carry out self design critique. After that, I will think from a business perspective, experiment with business models in terms of functionality and aesthetics, and put them into the market after a lot of testing. I believe that this will be a very successful and quality product with design aesthetics and service to people!