Programming Functional Fabrics: A Fabric of Innovation
In a world where textiles are an indispensable part of daily life, one innovative mind at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is revolutionizing the way we perceive and use fabrics. Lavender Tessmer, a fifth-year doctoral student in design and computation within the School of Architecture and Planning, is harnessing the power of computation to endow textiles with unprecedented functional properties.
The Journey to a Fabric Revolution
Growing up with a deep-rooted fascination for textiles, Lavender explored crafting skills such as knitting and crocheting, nurturing this passion alongside her academic pursuits. Little did she know, her hobby would weave its way into the core of her professional career, particularly when she joined the Self Assembly Lab at MIT. This pivot came about thanks to a timely grant from the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America – an initiative aiming to propel the textile industry into the future. Collaborating with faculty members Skylar Tibbits and Caitlin Muller, Lavender set the stage for groundbreaking research in textile design and functionality.
Recognizing the crucial role of textiles in various sectors, especially highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic for their use in protective masks, Tessmer’s quest has been to redefine textiles. By embedding specific functionalities within the very fabric of textiles, she aspires to transform them into versatile, multifunctional tools that could one day revolutionize industries.
A Symphony of Design and Computation
Despite starting in the realm of music and architecture, Tessmer found her true calling at the intersection of design, computation, and textiles. MIT offered her a unique playground to explore her interdisciplinary interests, challenging the conventional boundaries between varying fields of study. Her graduate school journey is a testament to the power of focused dedication, as she delves deeper into the realm of functional fabrics with a keen eye on practical application and large-scale manufacturing.
Computed Comfort: Building Smarter Textiles
From temperature-responsive fibers to space exploration gear designed with embedded sensors and adaptive qualities, Tessmer’s projects extend the traditional boundaries of textile utility. One of her notable projects involves designing a revolutionary spacesuit sleeve that seamlessly integrates different functional properties to accommodate the varied needs of the human body in space. Further aligning with her architectural roots, Tessmer is also pioneering the use of textiles as a sustainable alternative in reinforced concrete structures, potentially reducing the carbon footprint of conventional building materials.
Her approach not only emphasizes the intrinsic potential of textiles as programmable materials but also underscores the importance of making these innovations viable on a commercial scale. Through close collaboration with industry partners and the use of industrial-scale machinery, Tessmer is bridging the gap between advanced textile research and real-world application.
From the Lab to the Real World
With her research interests now fully intertwined with her lifelong passion, Tessmer’s foray into entrepreneurship seems a natural progression. Her ventures aim at commercializing the cutting-edge textile technologies she’s developed, envisaging a future where enhanced fabrics are not just a prototype in a lab but a commercial reality enhancing our daily lives. One of her proposals, for instance, could revolutionize shoe manufacturing by embedding different material properties directly into the fabric, thereby simplifying production processes.
As Lavender Tessmer continues to stitch together her love for textiles with her academic pursuits and entrepreneurial ventures, her work at MIT stands as a vibrant reminder of the limitless possibilities that emerge when creativity meets computation. In reprogramming the very essence of textiles, Tessmer is not just redefining fabric functionalities; she’s weaving a new narrative for the future of design, technology, and sustainable innovation.