Smart clothes will adapt to wearer’s temperature needs

New Scientist : Clothes with thermal properties that adapt to the wearer and the environment could one day help keep people warm in a cold office or cool on a hot sidewalk. Several teams are working on products that deal with heat energy in different ways. One group, which was inspired by the way squid can reflect visible wavelengths of light, is trying to develop a material that can reflect longer, IR wavelengths that carry heat. Another has embedded tiny tubes and temperature sensors in a material to control the circulation of warm and cold air, much like a space suit. Already available are smart socks, which contain sensors and are paired with ankle bracelets that collect the data and communicate through a mobile app. Most temperature-controlling clothing has so far been developed for athletics, the military, and the aerospace industry. Because of the high cost, it may be a while before smart shirts, vests, and other such items become mainstream.