Get the latest tech news

Wearable solar-powered gadget automatically regulates body temperature. Made of flexible polymers, it could potentially fit in technical clothing.

Made of flexible polymers, it could potentially fit in technical clothing.

This can be a problem in extreme environments, from subzero polar temperatures to the ruthless heat of the Sahara, and it doesn’t stop at Earth. A team of researchers, led by Ziyuan Wang of Nankai University in Tianjin, China, has created a flexible, solar-powered device that can be incorporated into clothing and regulate the body by actively heating or cooling the skin. While this thermoregulatory tech may not be available yet, Wang is hopeful that it could be a significant breakthrough for those who have to work in extreme environments, even astronauts who have to brave the freezing darkness to go out on a spacewalk.

Get the Android app