This bio-smart garment automatically vents when you start sweating

Wen Wang, a bioengineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Lining Yao, a Ph.D. student at the MIT Media Lab, and several other colleagues have collaborated to try to use deformed bacteria on fabrics to make them sensitive to humidity. After discovering the cause of bacterial expansion and contraction, the team used pure bacterial proteins to confirm their speculation. Finally, given the stability and ease of production of this bacterium, they decided to use the entire bacterium in the test garment.

The researchers found that placing a layer of bacteria on the latex film did not produce the desired results. In contrast, after exposure to high humidity 3D printing machine, the latex will be produced at room temperature, folded side bacteria. However, the bacteria were placed on both sides of the latex and allowed to remain unchanged at room temperature until one side was exposed to high temperatures. At this point, the bacteria will expand, causing the latex to bend outward.

Monitoring data showed that after five minutes of running and cycling, the vents in the shirts began to open, allowing sweat to evaporate and lower the wearer's body temperature. Wang Wen said: "When I wear the control version, I feel really hot and hot. When I put on the newly designed shirt, once I start to sweat, it will naturally open, then I can feel The air flow comes from my back. This is the advantage of smart clothing, it can help you remove water immediately by evaporation, and then the body temperature will drop."

Researchers are still studying how to make this kind of clothes cleanable and then continue to promote the commercialization of their technology. New Balance has established a relationship with the project and acted as a sponsor, but other companies have begun to approach Wang Wen and his team. If this stratified clothing is widely used, it is expected to be favored by fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and those who sweat wildly in high temperature environments. After all, what kind of clothes can I wear in summer is more comfortable than auto-evaporating sweat?