Rhode Island Patent of the Month – September 2025
A new material innovation promises to revolutionize how we monitor the health of large structures and even human bodies. This technology transforms everyday textiles into powerful sensing networks. It creates “smart yarns” capable of integrating seamlessly into fabrics and composite materials. Rhode Island-based Nautilus Defense LLC secured U.S. Patent No. 12421659 for their design. The patent is titled ‘Functional braided composite yarns for sensing applications’. This invention moves electrical sensing out of traditional circuits and into the fibers themselves.
The Science of Smart Thread
The core of the patent is a braided composite yarn. It expertly integrates functional fibers like electrical conductors or optical fibers with structural threads. This protects the delicate sensing components from damage during manufacturing and use. The braiding process locks the fibers in place. This makes the final yarn highly durable and strong. The resulting composite yarn can be woven into clothing or molded into aerospace parts. It carries data without external wires or bulky sensor packages.
Broad Impact and Applications
These functional yarns open vast possibilities across several industries. In aviation, they can monitor structural stress in composite wings. This predicts potential failures before they occur. For defense, the smart textiles could create next-generation wearable systems for soldiers. The yarn can sense environmental conditions or physiological data. The durable, washable, and flexible nature of the yarn means it performs reliably in harsh real-world environments. This innovation represents a leap toward truly intelligent material design.
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Are you developing new or improved products, or thinking of applying for a patent? Did you know your research work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please check out our free online eligibility test.
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The Research & Experimentation Tax Credit (or R&D Tax Credit), is a general business tax credit under Internal Revenue Code section 41 for companies that incur research and development (R&D) costs in the United States. The credits are a tax incentive for performing qualified research in the United States, resulting in a credit to a tax return. For the first three years of R&D claims, 6% of the total qualified research expenses (QRE) form the gross credit. In the 4th year of claims and beyond, a base amount is calculated, and an adjusted expense line is multiplied times 14%. Click here to learn more.
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