Barclay Jumet, a first-year doctoral student in mechanical engineering (MECH), has received a research grant from the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) to develop a strategy for soft wearable device fabrication.
His proposal, titled “Retrofitting a Low-Cost 3D Printer to Facilitate Fabrication of Textile-Based Assistive Devices,” will be funded for $1,100.
“Wearable assistive devices have garnered interest recently due to their benefits in safe and comfortable human-robot interaction,” Jumet writes in his proposal. “Progress has relied significantly on bulky elastomers. Heat sealable textiles are a promising alternative that consist of a textile laminated with a thermoplastic polymer, which allows adhesion to itself and other surfaces when heat and pressure are applied.”
Jumet works in the Preston Innovation Lab of Daniel Preston, assistant professor MECH. He graduated earlier this year from the University of Alabama with a B.S. in MECH.