Courtesy Fast Co. Design
Material ConneXion, a materials consultancy in New York, houses an extensive library of experimental substances that companies such as Calvin Klein, Herman Miller, and Toyota use to design and build their products. Andrew Dent, vice president of library and materials research at Material ConneXion, details 11 of the most promising materials, including: Karta-Pack, which is made entirely of post-consumer recycled cotton fibers and can be used for packaging and even in furniture manufacture; ThermalTech, a lightweight stainless steel mesh fabric capable of regulating body temperature if used in clothing; Paptic, a hybrid between paper and plastic that feels as soft as the former, but is as durable as the latter; and Grip Metal, a product that utilizes a new stamping method so that two pieces of metal can bind like Velcro instead of being melded, or welded, together. [Fast Co. Design]
An IBM research team is trying to grow carbon nanotubes, an alternative to silicone micro-chips, instead of building them. [Wired]
Tesla announced its shareholders have approved its acquisition of full-service solar power system provider SolarCity after the initial offer was accepted in June. [The Verge]
New York–based startup EnGoPlanet is testing kinetic tiles capable of generating electricity on four traffic lights in Las Vegas. [Popular Mechanics]
Stainless steel mesh prevents these work goggles from fogging. [Hi Consumption]
Taiwan-based designer Sheng-Hung Lee created TetraPot, a large concrete tetrapod structure that uses mangrove trees planted inside of them to protect coastal areas from swamping and erosion, while simultaneously providing shelter for animals that inhabit the area. [Core 77]
Construction company Skanska USA announced plans to test out the use of drones on some of their active construction sites, in partnership with Cambridge, Mass.–based data analysis company Smartvid.io. [Construction Dive]
The Atlantic's Ian Bogost explores ways in which the Internet of Things could eventually turn into a mode of society-wide surveillance. [The Atlantic]
Australian hydropower producer Carnegie Wave Energy has received $15.5 million from the European Regional Development Fund to finance an offshore renewable energy project in Cornwall, U.K., set to be completed by 2018. [The Guardian]