As anticipation builds for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, athletes continue to face the age-old challenge of staying cool and dry during intense physical exertion. Addressing this critical need, PolyU’s School of Fashion and Textiles proudly introduces the iActive™ sportswear range. This cutting-edge technology promises to advance activewear by effectively reducing the weight and stickiness caused by sweat accumulation during exercise.

A research team led by Dr Shou Dahua, Limin Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and Associate Professor of the School of Fashion and Textiles, invented the groundbreaking iActive™. This intelligent, electrically activated sportswear features a nature-inspired active perspiration function. Dr Shou’s pioneering innovation has not only pushed the boundaries of textile technology but also earned a Gold Medal at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva this April, highlighting its global impact.

An award-winning innovation

iActive™ incorporates low-voltage-driven artificial “sweat glands” embedded within skin-like anti-heat textile fabrics and a root-like branching liquid transport system aligned with the body’s sweat map.

Leveraging an optimised wettability pattern and gradient, the research team crafted a skin-like textile fabric that swiftly transports sweat outward, reducing garment stickiness and weight while improving breathability and dryness. iActive™ excels in creating a comfortable skin microclimate by dissipating sweat three times faster than the maximum human sweating rate, preventing discomfort from coldness and moisture after a workout. The innovative fabric is 60% lighter and 50% less clingy when soaked compared to traditional materials, offering unparalleled comfort and enabling peak performance for athletes and enthusiasts alike.

The nature-inspired technologies of iActive™ include low-voltage-driven artificial “sweat glands” created by skin-like anti-heat textile fabrics and a root-like branching liquid transport system that aligns with the body’s sweat map. They can actively and programmably remove sweat to a perspiration dissipater at the lower region of the sportswear. A mobile app was developed to further aid personalised sweat management by wirelessly adjusting the sweat level of iActive™.

Applications beyond sportswear

Additionally, a mobile app enhances iActive™ by allowing users to wirelessly adjust sweat levels for personalised management. Beyond sportswear, iActive™ is ideal for protective and workwear in high-intensity and outdoor professions such as healthcare, construction, and law enforcement, significantly boosting performance and comfort.

Moreover, Dr Shou’s team developed Omni-Cool-Dry™, inspired by volcano-dwelling beetles. This premium fabric offers ultra-fast sweat dissipation, all-day comfort, and passive cooling by reflecting solar radiation and emitting body heat. Efforts are ongoing to integrate these properties to enhance the cooling capabilities of iActive™ sportswear.

Dr Shou, a core member at PolyU’s Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and the Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion, has earned the 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award from The Fiber Society for his contributions to thermal management, wearables, and soft robotics. He also received TechConnect Global Innovation Awards in 2021 and 2022. These accolades affirm his pivotal role in advancing textile technology, making intelligent sportswear that meets the demands of athletes and addresses environmental challenges.