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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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This Smart Textile Can Change Shape, Count Your Steps, and Even Turn Lights On

Knitting has traditionally been associated with cozy sweaters, scarves, blankets, and winter clothing. But now, researchers have transformed this centuries-old craft into an advanced engineering technology. Scientists at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed machine-knitted fabrics that can change shape, switch between stable positions, and even function as electronic sensors and switches.

This breakthrough could pave the way for a new generation of smart textiles capable of monitoring body movement, controlling electronic devices, and changing their shape whenever needed.

A New Era of Smart Knitted Fabrics

The research team created machine-knitted fabrics that can "snap" between multiple stable shapes. Scientists call this unique property multistability, where a structure can naturally remain in more than one stable position without continuously applying force.

Think about a regular light switch. It stays either ON or OFF until someone flips it. The newly developed knitted fabrics behave in a very similar way. They can switch from one shape to another and remain there until moved again.

This remarkable work was led by Dr. Kausalya Mahadevan, a recent Ph.D. graduate who is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Professor Katia Bertoldi. Their findings have been published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

Inspired by Art and Engineering

Mahadevan explained that the inspiration came from combining ideas from textile artists with the science of nonlinear mechanics.

She has always been fascinated by fabrics and their engineering potential. Instead of treating textiles as simple clothing materials, the researchers began viewing them as mechanical structures capable of storing energy and changing shape in controlled ways.

By combining artistic textile design with engineering principles, they discovered entirely new possibilities for knitted materials.

Using Everyday Knitting Machines

One of the most impressive aspects of this research is that it does not require futuristic manufacturing equipment.

The team used weft knitting, the same industrial knitting technique commonly used to manufacture hats, gloves, socks, sweaters, and many other garments around the world.

Rather than relying on expensive materials or complex manufacturing, the researchers showed that carefully selected yarns and knitting patterns alone could produce advanced shape-changing structures.

This makes the technology much easier to scale for commercial production.

The Secret Lies in the Yarn

To achieve these unique properties, the scientists selected highly elastic yarns and used a knitting technique called plating.

In plating, different yarns appear on opposite sides of the fabric. This creates internal stresses inside the textile that naturally cause it to curl into three-dimensional shapes.

Interestingly, the same basic mechanism is responsible for the curled edges seen on cut T-shirts.

By carefully choosing the yarns and adjusting machine settings, the researchers produced fabrics that were exceptionally "snappy," meaning they could quickly jump from one stable shape to another.

Creating Multiple Stable Shapes

The researchers experimented with different combinations of horizontal and vertical knitted stripes.

These carefully designed patterns allowed the fabrics to settle into several stable configurations instead of just one.

The snapping behavior is similar to pressing a pop-it toy or flipping a mechanical switch.

Understanding exactly how geometry, material selection, and knitting patterns influence this behavior allowed the researchers to identify the ideal conditions for creating multistable textiles.

Even more impressively, they successfully simulated the fabric's behavior using computer models that treated the textile as one continuous material instead of calculating every individual strand of yarn. This makes designing future smart textiles much faster and more efficient.

Turning Fabric into Electronic Devices

The team didn't stop at creating shape-changing fabrics.

They also embedded extremely fine conductive yarns into the knitted material.

These conductive fibers transformed the textiles into soft electrical switches that automatically change their electrical state whenever the fabric snaps between shapes.

This simple addition opens up exciting possibilities for wearable electronics, smart clothing, and interactive devices.

A Fabric That Turns Lights On and Off

To demonstrate the technology's potential, the researchers built several fascinating prototypes.

One example was a knitted shell that controlled an LED light.

As the fabric flipped between its stable positions, it automatically switched the LED on and off without requiring traditional buttons or rigid mechanical components.

This shows how fabrics themselves could become functional electronic interfaces in the future.

Smart Wearables That Count Your Steps

The researchers also designed a wearable textile switch that can be attached over the knee or elbow.

Whenever the joint bends, the fabric snaps into a different stable shape.

This movement is detected by an Arduino microcontroller, allowing the textile to count steps or monitor body motion.

Unlike conventional wearable sensors, these knitted devices remain soft, lightweight, flexible, and comfortable to wear.

Such technology could become valuable for fitness tracking, rehabilitation, sports science, and healthcare monitoring.

A Reconfigurable Smart Lampshade

Perhaps one of the most creative demonstrations was a shape-changing lampshade.

The researchers built a lampshade containing three separate multistable knitted switches.

Each switch controlled a different colored light.

As the fabric stretched and snapped into different positions, the lampshade changed the lighting automatically, creating an interactive lighting system made almost entirely from fabric.

These prototypes were recently showcased in an Art Lab installation, demonstrating how science and design can merge beautifully.

Easy to Manufacture on a Large Scale

One major advantage of this technology is its compatibility with existing industrial knitting machines.

The equipment used in the research is very similar to the knitting machines already operating in garment factories worldwide.

This means manufacturers would not need entirely new production lines to create these smart textiles.

The ability to use existing infrastructure could significantly reduce manufacturing costs and accelerate commercial adoption.

Opening the Door to Mechanical Metamaterials

Beyond textile engineering, this research contributes to the rapidly growing field of nonlinear mechanical metamaterials.

These specially engineered materials are designed to bend, buckle, snap, and change shape in predictable and useful ways.

By bringing knitted fabrics into this field, researchers are expanding the possibilities for lightweight, flexible, and programmable materials that combine mechanical behavior with electronic functionality.

The Future of Shape-Shifting Clothing

The Harvard team believes this is only the beginning.

In the future, smart knitted fabrics could quietly monitor body movements, provide tactile feedback, assist people during physical rehabilitation, or even change their shape depending on environmental conditions.

Imagine clothing that adjusts its fit automatically, medical braces that respond to movement, sportswear that tracks performance without bulky electronics, or home textiles that transform their appearance on demand.

Because these fabrics remain soft, seamless, lightweight, and comfortable, they offer significant advantages over traditional wearable electronics.

A New Chapter for Textiles

This breakthrough demonstrates that knitting is no longer just a method for making clothing. By combining advanced materials, clever knitting techniques, and engineering principles, Harvard researchers have transformed ordinary yarn into programmable, shape-shifting smart textiles.

As this technology continues to evolve, the clothes we wear and the fabrics around us may soon become intelligent devices capable of sensing movement, interacting with electronics, and adapting to our needs—bringing the future of wearable technology one stitch closer to reality.

Reference: K. Mahadevan, M. C. Yuen, D. T. Farrell, et al. “ Knitting Multistability.” Advanced Functional Materials 36, no. 53 (2026): e76385. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.76385

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