ABOUT US
Vision and Mission
The mission of the Centre is to be the leading Research Centre in this topic area with ground breaking discoveries of new phenomena and underlying scientific principles, new materials and processes, innovative products that will greatly enhance our life. The research will underpin the development and implementation of a new academic program “Wearable Technology” at PolyU.
Objectives and Deliverables
(1) To create new knowledge and novel wearable technologies in new scientific principles, new materials and fabrication technologies, innovative products by strengthening the current critical mass of related research in the department through high impact publications and research outputs
(2) To conduct knowledge transfer based on the technologies and knowledge generated by the centre through licensing agreement, patent filing, consultancy projects, conferences and seminars
(3) To leverage the research deliverables generated by the center for obtaining big external grants
(4) To train research students and undergraduate students through the platform of the research centre
BACKGROUND
Over the last two decades, leading-edge research on this topic at the Institute of Textile and Clothing has resulted in several notable discoveries published in top academic journals. The ITC has the largest number of publications and citations on this topic worldwide. By multi-disciplinary collaboration, new technologies have been developed for many fields, such as healthcare, the Internet of things, smart cities, robotics, sports and the fashion industry. Examples include new fabric-sensing technologies used in smart footwear and clothing to train athletes, prevent sports injuries and help people suffering from hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetics. In addition, light-emitting fabrics with tunable color and patterns have been used to create various modes and environments in rooms and corridors. Other types of clothing can change shape and size, provide air ventilation and even actively cool its wearer in response to environmental changes.
In the past twenty years, supported by Research Grants Council, Innovation and Technology Commission, industries and mainland government as well as PolyU, the team has obtained a total research grant well above 200 million Hong Kong dollars. The Institute also have planned to recruit some young excellent researcher in this area. It is anticipated that the research will continue and reach a new height in years to come.
We propose to establish a research centre for Wearable Technology to be hoisted at Institute of Textiles and Clothing in collaboration with colleagues from Applied Physics, Electric Engineering and Computing. In the past, these colleagues have had ten joint research grants, co-supervision of four PhD students and over ten joint publications with the core members in ITC. The membership of the centre may vary when necessary.
RESEARCH FACILITIES
The proposed research centre is supported by the unique state-of-art facilities, which are currently housed in various laboratories locating at MN G/F, MN 1/F, QT 8/F and W 6/F Core with the support of sufficient scientific officers and research personnel. This research infrastructure can cater for research activities on textile-based wearable technologies and evaluation for wearable electronic devices, medical devices, material synthesis and processing, sports, composites, and industrial applications. A group of multi-scale measurement and fabrication equipment is also currently housed. The measurement facilities include body figure scanner, fabric measurements for thermal and hygral, mechanical, electrical, optical, tribological and surface properties. Fabrication covers 3D printing, filament/spun yarn spinning, seamless knitting, jacquard weaving, coating, lamination, 3D coloration and laser engraving as well as environmental chambers for human evaluation. We will also use the central research facilities and other facilities at AP, EIE, HIT and BME.
