Scientists Create Temperature-Controlling Patch

Scientists have created a patch that controls a person’s skin temperature. Engineers from the University of California San Diego recently developed a pliable patch that can warm or cool the wearer’s skin. The patch is also designed to keep the wearer’s body temperature at a comfortable level even when an environment’s temperature varies. The device is made of metallic materials enclosed in heat-conducting stretchable sheets. These materials are connected to a battery, which sends an electric current that causes heat to flow toward or away from the wearer’s skin. To test the patch’s performance, the scientists placed the device in an arm band. Then, they asked a male subject to wear the arm band. The patch successfully kept the subject’s temperature at a constant level despite an increase or decrease in the environment’s temperature. As the patch is designed to be comfortable and easy to wear, it is lightweight and can be easily embedded in clothes. The scientists estimate that around 144 patches are needed to make a cooling vest, which can cover larger body parts, such as the back and neck. Clothes embedded with the patch will provide personalized temperature control that can reduce air conditioning and heating expenses. Additionally, these pieces of clothing will consume only about 26 to 80 watts of electricity to cool down a person on a hot day. This is more energy-efficient than using kilowatts of power for air conditioners. However, the development of the patch is expected to be costly. In the next few years, the scientists will look for ways to make the patch more economical before making it available to the public.