Electrospun piezo polymer fabric with actuated variable air permeability

Physical Sciences Inc. proposes to develop an innovative variable permeability actuated fabric called AirGate for use in parachutes, flexible UAV wings and a variety of other military and commercial products. The AirGate fabric will utilize PSI"s proprietary electrospun fiber, fabric and membrane fabrication techniques to create unique fabric of piezo-polymers such as Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) along with traditional materials such as Nylon 6, to produce electrically actuated fabrics which can have tailored air permeability and mechanical properties. Not only does this technology offer the potential to solve problems such as opening shock for parachutes, but it may also create an entire new form of parachute flight where the parachute is controlled electrically by areas varying permeability and surface roughness. PVDF pressure sensing fibers would also create the possibility to monitor and control the entire pressure field in the parachute.