In response to the growing threat of heatwaves, researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have developed next-generation personal cooling solutions including iActive Intelligent Sportswear, a garment that uses artificial ‘sweat glands’ to quickly eject perspiration, keeping skin dry and removing sweat up to three times faster than a person's peak sweating rate.
The second technology is called Omni-Cool-Dry which is a breathable, skin-like fabric that reflects solar radiation and emits body heat, lowering skin temperature by about 5°C compared to conventional fabrics.
Thermo-adaptive soft robotic garment which uses temperature-responsive actuators to adjust insulation, keeping its inner surface up to 10°C cooler than standard gear in temperatures reaching 120°C and lastly, a non-invasive wearable SweatMD that uses a microfluidic network to analyze sweat and track biomarkers like glucose and potassium, providing real-time health insights on a smartphone.
These innovations form a complete AI-ready ecosystem, with sensors gathering data and intelligent clothing responding with targeted actions. The work has earned significant international recognition, including a Gold Medal at the 2025 Geneva Invention Exhibition and The Fiber Society's Distinguished Achievement Award for Professor Dahua Shou, Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies, Associate Professor of the PolyU School of Fashion and Textiles, Associate Director, Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion, and Associate Director, PolyU-Xingguo Technology and Innovation Research Institute. The PolyU team’s goal is to bridge the gap between fundamental research and real-world applications to address global challenges.
