9-20-2016

Page 1

The Pitt News

The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | September 20,2016 | Volume 107 | Issue 29

science & health

Research models wearable tech Erin Hare Staff Writer

in which Sanders supporters pledged not to vote for anyone if Sanders wasn’t on the ticket, gained traction. But Sanders has since encouraged those faithfuls to vote for Clinton, and some others have switched to third parties — namely Green party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. The largest demographic component of Sanders’ fanbase, left floundering after the Democratic National Convention, were millennials. According to data published by the The

Computers commonly sit in our pockets or on our wrists, but the next generation’s “smart” materials could weave technology into the very fabric of our clothing. Pitt researchers have linked principles of chemistry, materials science and mathematics to design the model of a material that can recognize patterns and may someday be used to monitor human health. The material, which is only in the theoretical stage currently, is a meshwork of gel blobs about half a millimeter in diameter, capable of turning chemistry into electricity, and wired together to form ten 60-unit computing networks — no batteries required. The researchers published their model in the journal “Science Advances” earlier this month but are still looking for collaborators to create the prototype. Principal investigator Anna Balazs, a professor of chemical engineering at Pitt, has been talking with John Rogers, a University of Illinois professor also familiar with smart materials, to make the model a reality. According to Rogers, funding is a larger obstacle than technology. “I would say you could develop a pretty clear path for getting there based on what’s available now,” Rogers said. Once the material is developed, Balazs said clothing could alert the wearer to concerning

See Sanders on page 2

See Smart Materials on page 2

Pitt student Melissa Yang and the members of Yinzinique practice in front of the Carnegie Library . Madison Holden STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

BERN’D OUT

Bernie Sanders supporters now pushing for a revolution without the revolutional candidate

Sanders supporter junior Larissa Allen is one of many whose enthusiasm for the upcoming elecStaff Writer tion has declined. While campaign stickers and t-shirts for “I’d much prefer Clinton to Trump, so I’ve renow-defeated Democratic primary candidate signed myself to the fact that Clinton is who will Bernie Sanders still occasionally crop up around be getting my vote,” Allen said. “My personal encampus, “Feeling the Bern” chalk drawings and deavor is to not have Trump in office.” posters, marches in support of the far-left politiAfter Hillary Clinton cinched the Democian and the fiery vigor that once surrounded his cratic nomination in July 2016, Americans who campaign on college campuses have all but disaphad long been following Bernie Sanders’ seempeared. ingly revolutionary march to the presidency were Forced to support either of the two polarizing left jaded. Briefly, the Bernie or Bust movement, major party candidates or risk a third-party vote,

Casey Schmauder


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9-20-2016 by The Pitt News - Issuu