Abstract: A thermally adaptive garment comprising one or more adaptive garment sections. Each of the one or more adaptive garment sections comprises a pouch defined by a first and second pouch side, the pouch having a front edge and rear edge, the pouch defining a front pouch opening at the front edge and a rear pouch opening at the rear edge, the front and rear pouch openings operable to assume an open and closed configuration, the first and second pouch sides of the pouch defining an internal pouch cavity between the first and second pouch sides. Each of the one or more adaptive garment sections also comprises a lofting layer disposed within the internal pouch cavity.

Abstract: An air thermal conditioning system, for at least one of heating air and cooling air, which includes a cross-flow heat exchanger array. The cross-flow heat exchanger array includes a plurality of planar membrane heat exchangers disposed in parallel with a space separating adjacent planar membrane heat exchangers. Each of the planar membrane heat exchangers include a first sheet; a second sheet coupled to the first sheet; and at least one fluid chamber defined by the first and second sheets, with the at least one fluid chamber extending between first and second ends of the planar membrane heat exchangers and opening to a first and second port at the first and second ends respectively.

Abstract: An adaptive textile that includes a plurality of a first fiber having a first expansion coefficient and a plurality of a second fiber having a second expansion coefficient. There is a difference between the expansion coefficient of the first fiber and the expansion coefficient of the second fiber; at least one of the first or second fibers is a twisted coil actuator; and linear displacement of the twisted coil actuator causes the adaptive textile to bend.

Abstract: An actuator assembly system array. The actuator assembly system array comprises a plurality of separate actuator assembly systems arranged in a row, with each actuator assembly system of the plurality of separate actuator assembly systems comprising: an array of one or more solar panels; a plurality of fluidic actuator assemblies; and a plurality of posts respectively coupled to and extending from the plurality of fluidic actuator assemblies. The actuator assembly system array further includes a fluidic control system comprising a plurality of fluid lines extending between and fluidically coupling the plurality of separate actuator assembly systems in series.

Abstract: An actuator assembly that includes an angled bottom plate having an opposing first side face and second side face; a first set of one or more inflatable actuators engaging the first side face of the angled bottom plate; and a second set of one or more inflatable actuators engaging the second side face of the angled bottom plate. The first and second sets of inflatable actuators are configured to be separately fluidically inflated.

Abstract: An adaptive textile that includes a plurality of a first fiber having a first expansion coefficient and a plurality of a second fiber having a second expansion coefficient. There is a difference between the expansion coefficient of the first fiber and the expansion coefficient of the second fiber; at least one of the first or second fibers is a twisted coil actuator; and linear displacement of the twisted coil actuator causes the adaptive textile to bend.

Abstract: A thermally adaptive material configured to assume a lofted configuration and flat configuration in response to different temperatures. The thermally adaptive material includes an adaptive first textile layer with one or more sections of a first material that has a first thermal expansion coefficient and one or more sections of a second material disposed adjacent to the one or more sections of the first material, the one or more sections of the second material having a second thermal expansion coefficient that is different from the first thermal expansion coefficient. The thermally adaptive material also includes a second textile layer disposed opposing the adaptive first textile layer; a plurality of engaging portions between the first textile layer and second textile layer; and one or more cavities defined by the first and second layers that are generated while the adaptive textile is at least in a lofted configuration.

Abstract: A method of generating a coiled actuator fiber that includes twisting a fiber to generate a twisted fiber; wrapping the twisted fiber around a core yarn or fiber to generate a coil in the twisted fiber, which generates a coiled twisted fiber; setting the coiled twisted fiber by heat or chemical treatment; and removing at least a portion of the core yarn or fiber to generate a coiled actuator fiber.

Abstract: A membrane heat exchanger comprising a first planar sheet a second planar sheet coupled to the first planar sheet at least by a seam and at least one fluid chamber defined by the first and second planer sheet and the seam and comprising a first and second end, the fluidic chamber extending a length of the membrane heat exchanger.

Abstract: An air thermal conditioning system, for at least one of heating air and cooling air, which includes a cross-flow heat exchanger array. The cross-flow heat exchanger array includes a plurality of planar membrane heat exchangers disposed in parallel with a space separating adjacent planar membrane heat exchangers. Each of the planar membrane heat exchangers include a first sheet; a second sheet coupled to the first sheet; and at least one fluid chamber defined by the first and second sheets, with the at least one fluid chamber extending between first and second ends of the planar membrane heat exchangers and opening to a first and second port at the first and second ends respectively.

Abstract: An adaptive textile that includes a plurality of a first fiber having a first expansion coefficient and a plurality of a second fiber having a second expansion coefficient. There is a difference between the expansion coefficient of the first fiber and the expansion coefficient of the second fiber; at least one of the first or second fibers is a twisted coil actuator; and linear displacement of the twisted coil actuator causes the adaptive textile to bend.

Abstract: A method of generating a coiled actuator fiber that includes twisting a fiber to generate a twisted fiber; wrapping the twisted fiber around a core yarn or fiber to generate a coil in the twisted fiber, which generates a coiled twisted fiber; setting the coiled twisted fiber by heat or chemical treatment; and removing at least a portion of the core yarn or fiber to generate a coiled actuator fiber.

Abstract: An adaptive sheet that includes a first layer defining a first length, the first layer configured to assume a base configuration in response to a first environmental condition and assume a lofted configuration in response to a second environmental condition with the first layer being curled along the first length compared the base configuration. The first fabric layer includes a first material defining a second length and having a first expansion coefficient, and wherein the first material is configured to increasingly change length along the second length in response to the second environmental condition, and a second material defining a third length and having a second expansion coefficient that is different than the first expansion coefficient.

Abstract: A system and method of generating a coiled actuator fiber. The method includes twisting a fiber to generate a twisted fiber, wrapping the twisted fiber around a core to generate a coil in the twisted fiber; and removing at least a portion of the core to generate a coiled actuator fiber. In some aspects that fiber can be a yarn with one or more fibers or a fiber comprising a single elongated element. In some aspects, a portion of the core includes a removable sacrificial portion. The removable sacrificial portion can be dissolvable in a solvent or physically removable. In some aspects, the core further includes a non-dissolvable portion that is not dissolvable and generating a coiled actuator can include removing the sacrificial portion by treating a twisted fiber on the core to remove the sacrificial portion and leaving the non-dissolvable portion.

Abstract: An actuator assembly that includes an angled bottom plate having an opposing first side face and second side face; a first set of one or more inflatable actuators engaging the first side face of the angled bottom plate; and a second set of one or more inflatable actuators engaging the second side face of the angled bottom plate. The first and second sets of inflatable actuators are configured to be separately fluidically inflated.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated solar panel array system that includes a plurality of separate actuator assemblies that each have a top plate and bottom plate and a first and second bellows that each extend between and are coupled to the top and bottom plates at a respective top head and bottom head, the first and second bellows being configured to be separately pneumatically inflated, where the pneumatic inflation expands the bellows along a length. The pneumatically actuated solar panel array system can also include a plurality of solar panels coupled to the actuator assemblies with the solar panels being configured to be actuated based on inflation of one or more bellows associated with the plurality of actuator assembles.

Abstract: A thermally adaptive material configured to assume a lofted configuration and flat configuration in response to different temperatures. The thermally adaptive material includes an adaptive first textile layer with one or more sections of a first material that has a first thermal expansion coefficient and one or more sections of a second material disposed adjacent to the one or more sections of the first material, the one or more sections of the second material having a second thermal expansion coefficient that is different from the first thermal expansion coefficient. The thermally adaptive material also includes a second textile layer disposed opposing the adaptive first textile layer; a plurality of engaging portions between the first textile layer and second textile layer; and one or more cavities defined by the first and second layers that are generated while the adaptive textile is at least in a lofted configuration.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated solar panel array system that includes a plurality of separate actuator assemblies that each have a top plate and bottom plate and a first and second bellows that each extend between and are coupled to the top and bottom plates at a respective top head and bottom head, the first and second bellows being configured to be separately pneumatically inflated, where the pneumatic inflation expands the bellows along a length. The pneumatically actuated solar panel array system can also include a plurality of solar panels coupled to the actuator assemblies with the solar panels being configured to be actuated based on inflation of one or more bellows associated with the plurality of actuator assembles.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated solar panel array system that includes a plurality of separate actuator assemblies that each have a top plate and bottom plate and a first and second bellows that each extend between and are coupled to the top and bottom plates at a respective top head and bottom head, the first and second bellows being configured to be separately pneumatically inflated, where the pneumatic inflation expands the bellows along a length. The pneumatically actuated solar panel array system can also include a plurality of solar panels coupled to the actuator assemblies with the solar panels being configured to be actuated based on inflation of one or more bellows associated with the plurality of actuator assembles.

Abstract: A system and method of generating a coiled actuator fiber. The method includes twisting a fiber to generate a twisted fiber, wrapping the twisted fiber around a core to generate a coil in the twisted fiber; and removing at least a portion of the core to generate a coiled actuator fiber. In some aspects that fiber can be a yarn with one or more fibers or a fiber comprising a single elongated element. In some aspects, a portion of the core includes a removable sacrificial portion. The removable sacrificial portion can be dissolvable in a solvent or physically removable. In some aspects, the core further includes a non-dissolvable portion that is not dissolvable and generating a coiled actuator can include removing the sacrificial portion by treating a twisted fiber on the core to remove the sacrificial portion and leaving the non-dissolvable portion.