Functional Materials and Innovative Strategies for Wearable Thermal Management Applications

Thermal management is essential in our body as it affects various bodily functions,ranging from thermal discomfort to serious organ failures,as an example of the worst-case scenario.There have been extensive studies about wearable materials and devices that augment thermoregulatory functionalities in our body,employing diverse materials and systematic approaches to attaining thermal homeostasis.This paper reviews the recent progress of functional materials and devices that contribute to thermoregulatory wearables,particularly emphasizing the strategic methodology to regulate body temperature.There exist several methods to promote personal thermal management in a wearable form.For instance,we can impede heat transfer using a thermally insulating material with extremely low thermal conductivity or directly cool and heat the skin surface.Thus,we classify many studies into two branches,passive and active thermal management modes,which are further subdivided into specific strategies.Apart from discussing the strategies and their mechanisms,we also identify the weaknesses of each strategy and scrutinize its potential direction that studies should follow to make substantial contributions to future thermal regulatory wearable industries.

Integrated Framework for Vehicle Interior Design Using Digital Human Model

Evaluating the human friendliness of vehicles is essential for designing new vehicles since large numbers of human-machine interactions occur frequently inside vehicles. In this research, we develop an integrated framework for vehicle interior design using a digital human model （DHM）. In this framework, the knowledge-based parametric modelling function of vehicles is implemented using a commercial computer-aided design （CAD） system. The combination of the DHM and the CAD system enables designers into carry out ergonomic evaluations of various human-vehicle interactions and understand the effects of modifications of vehicle design parameters on occupants during designing. Further, the information on human-vehicle interaction obtained using this system can be transmitted to dedicated biomechanical analysis software. By analysing human motions inside vehicles using such software, we can obtain optimized interior design parameters.

Design rules for a tunable merged-tip microneedle

This publication proposes the use of an elasto-capillarity-driven self-assembly for fabricating a microscale merged-tip structure out of a variety of biocompatible UV-curable polymers for use as a microneedle platform.In addition,the novel merged-tip microstructure constitutes a new class of microneedles,which incorporates the convergence of biocompatible polymer micropillars,leading to the formation of a sharp tip and an open cavity capable of both liquid trapping and volume control.When combined with biocompatible photopolymer micropillar arrays fabricated with photolithography,elasto-capillarity-driven self-assembly provides a means for producing a complex microneedle-like structure without the use of micromolding or micromachining.This publication also explores and defines the design rules by which several fabrication aspects,such as micropillar dimensions,shapes,pattern array configurations,and materials,can be manipulated to produce a customizable microneedle array with controllable cavity volumes,fracture points,and merge profiles.In addition,the incorporation of a modular through-hole micropore membrane base was also investigated as a method for constitutive payload delivery and fluid-sampling functionalities.The flexibility and fabrication simplicity of the merged-tip microneedle platform holds promise in transdermal drug delivery applications.

Photonic structures in radiative cooling

Radiative cooling is a passive cooling technology without any energy consumption,compared to conventional cooling technologies that require power sources and dump waste heat into the surroundings.For decades,many radiative cooling studies have been introduced but its applications are mostly restricted to nighttime use only.Recently,the emergence of photonic technologies to achieves daytime radiative cooling overcome the performance limitations.For example,broadband and selective emissions in mid-IR and high reflectance in the solar spectral range have already been demonstrated.This review article discusses the fundamentals of thermodynamic heat transfer that motivates radiative cooling.Several photonic structures such as multilayer,periodical,random;derived from nature,and associated design procedures were thoroughly discussed.Photonic integration with new functionality significantly enhances the effciency of radiative cooling technologies such as colored,transparent,and switchable radiative cooling applications has been developed.The commercial applications such as reducing cooling loads in vehicles,increasing the power generation of solar cells,generating electricity,saving water,and personal thermal regulation are also summarized.Lastly,perspectives on radiative cooling and emerging issues with potential solution strategies are discussed.

Arduino-based low-cost electrical load tracking system with a long-range mesh network

A system that combines the advantage of the long-range(LoRa)communication method and the structural characteristics of a mesh network for an LoRa mesh network-based wireless electrical load tracking system is proposed.The system demonstrates considerable potential in reducing data loss due to environmental factors in farfield wireless energy monitoring.The proposed system can automatically control the function of each node by confirming the data source and eventually adjust the system structure according to real-time monitoring data without manual intervention.To further improve the sustainability of the system in outdoor environments,a standby equipment is designed to automatically ensure the normal operation of the system when the hardware of the base station fails.Our system is based on the Arduino board,which lowers the production cost and provides a simple manufacturing process.After conducting a long-term monitoring of a near-field smart manufacturing process in South Korea and the far-field energy consumption of rural households in Tanzania,we have proven that the system can be implemented in most regions,neither confined to a specific geographic location nor limited by the development of local infrastructure.This system comprises a smart framework that improves the quality of energy monitoring.Finally,the proposed big-data-technology-based power supply policy offers a new approach for prolonging the power supply time of off-grid power plants,thereby providing a guideline for more rural areas with limited power sources to utilize uninterrupted electricity.

Correction to:Arduino-based low-cost electrical load tracking system with a long-range mesh network

Correction to:Adv.Manuf.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40436-020-00310-5 In the original publication the first author name is published incorrectly as "Xin-Lin Wang".The correct author name should be read as "Xinlin Wang".Also,the correct fund note in the acknowledgement section should be "This research was supported in part by the International S&T Cooperation Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)funded by the Ministry of Science,ICT&Future Planning(MSIP)(Grant No.NRF-2017K1A3A9A04013801),and by the Basic Research Lab Program through NRF funded by the MSIT(Grant No.2018R1A4A1059976)".The correct author name and correct fund note is available in this correction.