Development of Knitwear with Vasomotor-Regulated Heating Function

The aim was to develop heated knitwear that increases heat power when the skin temperature drops and reduces heat power when the skin temperature rises, thus regulating the thermal insulation as required. The physiological term for the variability of human skin temperatures is vasomotor activity. Therefore, the term vasomotor- regulated function is used for heated knitwear that electronically regulate the heating power on the basis of skin temperature measurements. Vasomotor-regulated knitwear require the development of sensing, heat and control electronics and the integration of electronic components into knitted structures. The yarns and knitted structures developed achieve Technical Readiness Level 5 and are validated on a calorimeter that simulates human heat generation and emission.

Keywords:Sensor-yarns; Heat yarns; Contact yarns; Knitted structure; Knitwear, calorimetry; Vasomotoric; Thermal insulation; Heat; Sensor; Control electronics