The significant achievements in advancing the fields of personal thermal and moisture management, intelligent wearables, and soft robotics have been recognised for enhancing human well-being. Dr Dahua SHOU, Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and Assistant Professor of School of Fashion and Textiles of PolyU, who has recently been bestowed with the 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award (Award) by the Fiber Society, is dedicated to conducting research of fiber science for impactful applications.
Fiber, fabric, and fashion research places a strong emphasis on thermal and moisture comfort, with Dr. SHOU leading the way in pioneering transformative technologies in this field. He has made significant contributions to moisture management and has reported on the development of the world's first sweatable textile fabric - Sweatextile. This fabric enables fast one-way liquid flow through spatially distributed channels that act like "sweating glands" while repelling external liquid contaminants. The research, titled “Skin-like fabric for personal moisture management” was published in Science Advances.
For translational research endeavors, Dr. SHOU has developed a premium fabric named Omni-Cool-Dry, drawing inspiration from beetles. This fabric not only provides ultra-fast sweat dissipation and ensures all-day comfort with its cooling, dry, and breathable features under dynamic thermal conditions, but it also reflects solar radiation and emits body heat into the cold universe, enabling passive cooling. Omni-Cool-Dry provides an excellent solution for personal cooling as heat records continue to be shattered across the globe.
In addition, Dr SHOU has invented iActive, an intelligent, electrically activated activewear designed for sweat management. This nature-inspired technologies, including low-voltage-driven artificial "sweat glands" and a root-like branching liquid transport system that aligns with the body's sweat map, can effectively and programmably remove sweat.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant demand for breathable and comfortable protective equipment. Dr SHOU and his team “iFiber” leveraged advanced functional materials and wearable technologies to invent the first air-conditioned mask, Omni-Cool-Breath.
Dr SHOU’s remarkable achievements are exemplified by his recognition by the Fiber Society, which is a professional and scientific association to advance scientific knowledge pertaining to fibers, fiber-based products, and fibrous materials. The accolade is presented annually to an individual researcher under the age of 40 who has made notable contributions to the field of fiber science and engineering worldwide.
Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation), said, “The achievement highlights PolyU scholar’s unwavering dedication towards research, consistently pushing the boundaries of academic knowledge and innovation. The accomplishments have paved the way for future progress in the industry, leaving an indelible mark on the world of fashion and textiles.”
Prof. Erin Cho, Dean of School of Fashion and Textiles at PolyU, said, “This prestigious recognition is a testament to Dr. Shou’s expertise and intellectual prowess in the field of fibre science, as well as his commitment and perseverance in the pursuit of research excellence. Our school is thrilled by the fact that his groundbreaking contributions are being recognised with this award on a global scale.”
Dr SHOU said, “The accolade of the Fiber Society’s Distinguished Achievement Award is a great honour to me. I am deeply committed to creating intelligent wear for better health, comfort, performance and sustainability in the future.”
As a Principal Investigator, Dr. SHOU has secured 10 external competitive research grants, including General Research Fund / Early Career Scheme from the Research Grants Council, Innovation and Technology Fund from the Innovation and Technology Commission, and Environment Conservation Fund from the Environment and Ecology Bureau. Dr SHOU is also dedicated to developing various innovative projects, such as soft robotic clothing for adaptive thermoregulation, an intelligent hip protector for the elderly, intelligent activewear with sweat-based health monitoring, and an all-textile solar steam generator for clean water production. As the Programme Director, Dr. SHOU has established the first postgraduate degree in wearable technology in China at PolyU - Master of Science in Intelligent Wearable Technology.
With outstanding accomplishments in fiber science and wearable technology, Dr SHOU has also garnered international innovation awards. These include consecutive TechConnect Global Innovation Awards in 2021 and 2022, as well as a Silver Medal at the 2022 International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva. Additionally, he serves as an editorial board member for 7 leading SCI journals.
