New Thermally Conductive “Thubber” May Help For Developing Wearable Computing and Soft Robotics

In a scientific breakthrough, a team of international scientists has succeeded in formulating a thermally conductive rubber material that may pave nee paths for developing high-end materials like wearable computing and soft robotics. The novel rubber material, named as “Thubber” has high thermal conductivity feature and suppleness that makes it ideal for being sued in the developmental process of flexible and stretchable tools and electronics.

The development, done by the researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University in the US can be extremely helpful for large-scale industries like athletic wear manufacturing firms and sports medicine creators in the near future. As highlighted by the brains behind this development, ‘Thubber’ is an electrically insulating material that shows a first-of-its-kind mishmash of metal-like heat conductivity and suppleness akin to soft, biological tissue. The material with great suppleness can remarkably be drawn out over six times than its original length.

Up till now, high power, thermal conductive devices used to be affixed to unbending, nonflexible mounts and it is only technology which can dissipate heat efficiently. But Thubber is extremely different and a first-of-its-kind material that is super-flexible and can conduct temperature, without getting hurt.

According to Carmel Majidi, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the US, “Thubber is extremely flexible and has thermal conductivity capacity. Owing to such individual characteristics, ‘thubber’ can be used for the manufacturing of athletic wear and sports drugs like lighted garments for athletes and hyperactive clothing for the treatment of wounds. Moreover, the applications of Thubber can also be extended to complex engineering, energy, and transport services”.

In the study paper, appeared in the academic journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,’ the researchers also highlighted that, in spite of being the amount of metal, Thubber is electrically insulating and can dissipate heat from the LED. A LED light, once mounted onto a band of the novel material can develop a protection lamp. The “thubber”, is also capable of dissipating the warmth from the LED, so that it won’t burn the sprinter. By using Thubber, the researchers also developed a malleable computerized fish that is capable of swimming with a “thubber” tail, with no use of usual engines or gears.

With the combination of high thermal conductivity capability and litheness, Thubber is vital for fast temperature debauchery in applications like soft robotics and wearable computing, which usually requires motorized fulfillment and stretchable functionality. The research was co-led by Carmel Majidi and Jonathan Malen of Carnegie Mellon University and was appeared in the current week’s edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.