Scientists have unveiled breakthrough cooling textiles and intelligent wearables designed to protect people from intensifying global heat. The innovations combine multiple cooling mechanisms with artificial intelligence, offering scalable, sustainable alternatives to traditional systems. The development signals a new stage in personal comfort and workplace safety, as rising temperatures increasingly disrupt health, productivity, and day-to-day life worldwide.
- Extreme heat, according to research conducted at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, is pushing the boundaries of personal safety and productivity across vulnerable populations.
- The findings demonstrate how wearable cooling systems can regulate heat and moisture adaptively in real-world environments, balancing comfort with resilience.
- Prototypes incorporate lightweight, washable components that expand comfort zones without heavy energy dependence, marking a clear break from conventional fabric design.
- The study, Sustainable personal cooling in a warming world, was authored by Prof. Dahua Shou and Ziqi Li, and published in Science.
THE RESEARCH: The research highlights an AI-enabled framework that links sensing, prediction, and actuation into a continuous loop, creating tailored and energy-efficient cooling. By connecting textile innovations with wearable intelligence, the study maps how adaptive thermoregulation can evolve into self-sustained systems. The work also emphasises recyclability and scalability, pointing to future pathways where textile technologies directly contribute to health, safety, and sustainability.
- Passive solutions are extended into smart systems that actively respond to physiological and environmental changes.
- Cooling is achieved through radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation working together in clothing platforms.
- Design principles emphasise comfort, washability, and reduced weight for broad adoption.
- Progress relies on cross-disciplinary collaboration combining textiles, thermodynamics, electronics, and artificial intelligence.
WHERE THINGS STAND: Rising temperatures threaten not only individual well-being but also collective productivity and mental stability. Heat waves increasingly compromise working conditions, sleep quality, and cognitive performance, making personal cooling a frontline necessity. The PolyU research responds directly to these challenges by framing wearable solutions as essential for protecting both economic activity and public health in a warming climate.
- Around 3.6 billion people currently reside in high-risk zones exposed to climate-driven heat extremes.
- More than 480,000 lives are lost every year due to heat-related causes, according to global estimates based on data spanning 2000 to 2019.
- Persistent high temperatures elevate stress hormones, leading to reduced concentration and negative impacts on mood.
- Workplaces under extreme conditions face lower efficiency and greater safety hazards for employees.
READING BETWEEN THE LINES: The urgency underscoring these textile breakthroughs is grounded in hard data. Climate projections indicate a strong probability that the hottest year on record will occur before the decade ends. These figures illustrate the narrowing window for innovation and demonstrate how rapidly worsening conditions are forcing research into applied solutions capable of reshaping personal safety strategies.
- The World Meteorological Organisation has calculated an 80% chance of a record hot year between 2025 and 2029.
- Productivity losses directly correlate with prolonged exposure to elevated ambient temperatures.
- Health and safety risks intensify in settings where cooling measures remain inadequate or inaccessible.
CASE IN POINT: Several prototypes developed by PolyU researchers show how textile science is being translated into practical tools. iActive sportswear integrates artificial sweat glands to actively eject perspiration. Omni-Cool-Dry fabric reduces skin temperature through infrared heat release. Soft Robotic Clothing introduces adaptive insulation, while SweatMD monitors biomarkers through wearable yarns. Collectively, these examples highlight the movement of research into real-world functionality.
- iActive removes moisture three times faster than natural sweating, keeping skin lighter and drier under exertion.
- Omni-Cool-Dry reflects solar and ground radiation, lowering skin temperature by roughly 5°C compared with standard fabrics.
- Thermo-adaptive Soft Robotic Clothing maintains the inner layer up to 10°C cooler even in environments reaching 120°C.
- SweatMD uses microfluidic channels to assess fatigue and dehydration markers, sending live data to connected devices.
WHAT THEY 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.
— Prof Dahua Shou
Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
