Insights on sustainable personal cooling through the use of advanced textiles and smart wearable technologies were published in the Science journal by Dahua SHOU, PolyU School Of Fashion And Textiles, associate professor, Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion associate director and PolyU-Xingguo Technology and Innovation Research Institute associate director.
The research team claims to have introduced several innovative technologies designed to combat extreme heat.
One of them is the iActive intelligent sportswear, which features artificial "sweat glands" and a liquid network that mimics root systems for efficient sweat management.
The breathable skin‑like fabric Omni-Cool-Dry offers directional sweat routing and “spectrum-selective cooling” to maintain comfort under direct sunlight. This helps reduce skin temperature by approximately 5°C relative to traditional materials.
The scholars also developed Soft Robotic Clothing, which is designed for hot work environments.
This fabric features built-in soft actuators, which can expand, increasing the thickness of the fabric to trap air and provide variable insulation.
The clothing's thermal resistance can adjust between 0.23 to 0.48 K·m²/W, maintaining an inner surface temperature that is 10°C cooler than traditional insulated clothing, even when outside temperatures soar to 120°C.
SweatMD, a non-invasive wearable, directs sweat through a microfluidic system. It employs sensing yarns to monitor health markers such as glucose and potassium to provide instant health data like fatigue and hydration levels to a smartphone.
These technologies are part of an artificial intelligence (AI)-ready ecosystem that integrates sensors, predictive models, and intelligent actuation for targeted cooling responses.
The potential for self-sustained cooling is enhanced by integrating textile sensors, fibre-based coolers, and on-body energy harvesters.
Dahua Shou said: “According to the World Meteorological Organisation, there is an 80% chance that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will be the hottest on record, making personal cooling increasingly vital for well‑being, health and productivity.
“We have been creating intelligent, superhero‑like garments that provide on‑demand adaptive cooling and clinician‑like health monitoring to help address the challenge of extreme heat.”
Earlier this month, PolyU researchers developed a new anthropometric technique aimed at enhancing the design and performance of compression garments by providing "accurate measurements".
