Bacteria-Powered Shirt Morphs When the Wearer Sweats

Scientists have created a living bacteria-powered shirt that morphs when the wearer sweats in order to cool them down.

The ‘BioLogic’ project uses bacteria created in a lab using a bio-printing system which is then transformed into a ‘second skin’ that can be crafted into garments.

The synthetic bio-skin reacts to body heat and sweat, opening up sections of the material to allow sweat to evaporate and cool down the body.

Scientists at MIT Media Lab’s Tangible Media Group have teamed up with American footwear maker New Balance to bring the technology to everyday sportswear.

The bacteria used in the shirt is Bacillus Subtilis natto. This expands and contracts depending on different levels of humidity and is used for fermentation in the preparation of a Soybean-based dish in Japan.

The researchers hope that in future, actuators and sensors ‘can be grown rather than manufactured, being derived from nature as opposed to engineered in factories’.

This could potentially lead to more sustainable materials being used in wearable technology.

Image credit: MIT Media Lab’s Tangible Media Group