This magnetic ink could let wearable gadgets heal themselves

Scientists have developed a magnetic ink that lets wearable gadgets "heal themselves," said Steph Yin at The New York Times. Smart ­clothing — think sports bras that monitor a workout or baby onesies that track a newborn's sleeping — is expected to be tech's next big thing. But current printable electronics are fragile and prone to tearing. A nanoengineering team at the University of California, San Diego, has developed a possible solution: ink made from ground neodymium magnets. When a fabric containing the ink breaks, the particles attract one another and close the gap.

In tests, tears up to 3 millimeters long healed in just 50 milliseconds. Amay Bandodkar, who worked on the project, said the breakthrough could give new life to wearable tech. Even if something rips, he said, "it's going to self-heal."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up