Robotic jacket mimics plants to regulate body temperature

US based startup has launched a sports jackets that uses state-of-the-art robotics to automatically change its thermal protection and adapt to the wearers environmental conditions.

We have written about some interesting developments in clothing recently. From this high-tech dress made from graphene to this jacket for the homeless that allows passersby to donate with contactless payments. Now, The Omnius is a jacket that uses air vents that open and close robotically to keep the wearer at the ideal temperature.

Designed with athletes such as skiers in mind, the jacket is equipped with electronically operated vents that open or close to keep the wearer at a consistent temperature. Inspired by plants, The Silicon Valley startup modelled the jacket’s ventilation system on stomata, the microscopic pores that plants open and close to let gases in and out. When the user’s body temperature starts to rise, small vents will open along the windproof/waterproof fabric, leaving a much freer path for hot and humid air to move away from the body. The slit-like vents run up and down in columns on the chest and upper back. The Omnius works using sensors which monitor both the body and outside temperature and send the data to a processor that triggers the vents. One particularly interesting feature allows users to operate the vents manually, allowing the Omnius system to learn the wearer’s personal preference. As CEO/CTO Gustavo Cadena explains, “Over time, the jacket will become an extension of the user, synchronizing its movements with the rest of the body just like a second skin.”

Could robotics be used in this way in other types of clothing?