Knitting the Future

Kausalya Mahadevan is pushing the bounds of what textiles can be. Through yarn selection, changing loop size and shape, and manipulating fabric folding properties, the PhD student in mechanical engineering and materials at Harvard Griffin GSAS and the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences creates textiles that can transform configurations and even incorporate conductive properties and soft switches. Her ultimate goal is to create smart textile devices that collect valuable data–including information on health and wellness–to improve our lives.