No Ordinary Cloth: Intersection of textiles, emerging technology, craft and sustainability - Ep 9. Disobedient Fabrics: A Journey in Smart Textiles with Linda Worbin (Part 1)

Ep 9. Disobedient Fabrics: A Journey in Smart Textiles with Linda Worbin (Part 1)

04/29/24 • 42 min

No Ordinary Cloth: Intersection of textiles, emerging technology, craft and sustainability

Welcome to the No Ordinary Cloth podcast, where we stitch together a tapestry of textile innovations one episode at a time. Today, we're joined by Linda Worbin, a pioneer in Smart Textiles. Join us as we explore the past, present, and future of this dynamic industry.

Linda Worbin, a Material and Innovation Developer based in Sweden, brings a wealth of experience to our conversation. With her background as a former professor at the Swedish School of Textiles and a visionary in the industry, Linda's journey spans over two decades of exploration and development in Smart Textiles, and offers valuable insights into the evolution of Smart Textiles.

In this episode, Linda reflects on her journey from academia to industry, sharing insights that have shaped the field and inspired many to follow in her footsteps. From dynamic textile patterns to the importance of collaborations, Linda's perspective provides a roadmap for future advancements.

Smart textiles, or e-textiles, offer intriguing functionalities that vastly differ from conventional textiles. Imagine fabrics that respond to environmental changes, altering colour or texture in real-time, or clothing that monitors vital signs and alerts you to potential risks. These innovations not only redefine our wardrobes but also revolutionise our everyday lives.

Join us as we follow the footsteps of someone who envisions the future of fabrics.

Episode Highlights:

Linda's journey from academia to industry
Insights into dynamic textile patterns and the need for collaborations
Preparing the next generation of textile makers
The mindset of a pioneer in Smart Textiles
Linda’s life and influences

Join us as we weave the future together—a future where innovation knows no bounds and an ordinary cloth becomes a canvas for extraordinary possibilities. This is the No Ordinary Cloth podcast.

Connect with Mili Tharakan

[email protected]

Insta: @noordinarycloth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Join us as we follow the footsteps of someone who envisions the future of fabrics.

Episode Highlights:

Linda's journey from academia to industry
Insights into dynamic textile patterns and the need for collaborations
Preparing the next generation of textile makers
The mindset of a pioneer in Smart Textiles
Linda’s life and influences

Join us as we weave the future together—a future where innovation knows no bounds and an ordinary cloth becomes a canvas for extraordinary possibilities. This is the No Ordinary Cloth podcast.

Connect with Mili Tharakan

[email protected]

Insta: @noordinarycloth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Previous Episode

Ep8. Energy Harvesting Nanotech Fibres for Wearables and Women in Science with Sohini Kar-Narayan

🎉 In this episode as we celebrate Women’s Day in March 2024, we have a very special guest - Prof. Sohini Kar-Narayan, a leading material scientist and nanotechnology expert from the University of Cambridge, sharing with us about her passion for science and her work with nano materials for energy harvesting and self-powered sensing technology, and it’s potential for smart textiles and wearables.

🧪 This is also the story about a young girl who wanted to invent something and went on to become, among many things, one of the Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering in 2021. She was the recipient of the World Economic Forum Young Scientist Award in 2015, the Peter Day Award in 2023 and many other prestigious awards over the years. You can find out more about this on her Wiki page.

👩🏽‍🔬 Here, Sohini shares some of the challenges she faced as a woman navigating a career in academia in Science. From her position of leadership today, she is keen to encourage more people to explore science and gives valuable insights for others, especially women, who might be considering a career in these areas.

📍 Sohini not only invented many thing but is using one of her invention to transform the effectiveness of hip surgeries with the force-sensing technology in her startup ArtioSense so learn more about this here as well. She also candidly shares about navigating the world of start ups, the new skills she has had to pick up compared to her life as an academic researcher. I have been there and I know this is a difficult transition so if you are in a similar place, do join us to learn more from Sohini.

If you are interested to learn more about Sohini's research and startup, please check out the links below:

University of Cambridge - Research

Research Lab

Artiosense - force sensing technology startup

Connect with Mili Tharakan

⭐️ Podcast survey link

[email protected]

Insta: @noordinarycloth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Next Episode

Ep 10. Disobedient Fabrics: A Journey in Smart Textiles with Linda Worbin (Part 2)

Episode Highlights:

Linda's journey from academia to industry.
Insights into dynamic textile patterns and collaborations.
Equipping the next generation of textile makers
The mindset of a pioneer in Smart Textiles.
Linda’s life and influences

Join us as we follow the footsteps of someone who envisions the future of fabrics —a future where innovation knows no bounds and an ordinary cloth becomes a canvas for extraordinary possibilities. This is the No Ordinary Cloth podcast.

Connect with Mili Tharakan

[email protected]

Insta: @noordinarycloth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman