Stoll’s research project with university is more than just hot air
22/11/2016
Nottingham Trent University and German advanced knitting machine manufacturer Stoll created a prototype to help runners and skiers, who can be exposed to increased risk of infections when exercising in the cold.
A knitted patch of electric-conductive yarn over the nose and mouth is the key; it emits heat when charged with an electric current. It is connected to a knitted power socket at the back of the balaclava which incorporates plus and minus poles to connect a rechargeable battery.
Electricity cannot be felt by the wearer as the current is so low, the research team has insisted, but when the battery is inserted, the power comes on and the area around the nose and mouth warms up.
Professor Tilak Dias, leader of the advanced textiles research group at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Art & Design, paid tribute to the benefits of collaborative research and said: “By using electric-conductive yarns, which are so tiny that they cannot be felt by human skin, we’re able to provide a consistent level of warmth to a piece of clothing so that a runner only breathes in warm air.”
The mask is fully washable and behaves like any other fabric. It features 3D-knitted pre-shape qualities for a more comfortable fit. It is one of a number of sports garments that Stoll has created to illustrate the potential of its machines.
A 3D-knitting machine from Stoll is one component of the advanced equipment sports brand Under Armour has put into its new Lighthouse design centre in Baltimore.
Image: courtesy of Stoll.
Share this story:
