Session: Rising Stars of Mechanical Engineering Celebration & Showcase

Paper Number: 147913

147913 - Passive and Adaptive Thermoregulation Wearables With Integrated Sensing for Shipboard Emergency Response 

This research project aims to address the challenges faced in shipboard emergency response for future US Navy operations by developing passive and adaptive personal-thermal-management (PTM) technologies. The objective is to provide advanced thermoregulation solutions that can monitor and mitigate the extreme heat or cold stress experienced by sailors during damage control activities or prolonged immersion at sea. The technical approach is to utilize innovative thermal radiation control concepts to achieve efficient regulation of body temperature with minimal energy input. The major research tasks of the project involve 1) designing and fabricating passive PTM textiles using a scalable roll-to-roll coaxial extrusion method, 2) enhancement of superhydrophobic properties against seawater immersion, 3) experimental evaluation of the thermal performance and functionalities, 4) optimization of adaptive thermoregulation, and 5) integration of sensing capabilities for real-time monitoring and proactive intervention of cold or heat related physiological stressor. The anticipated outcome of this research is the development of PTM wearable platforms in the form of woven textiles, allowing for seamless integration with existing sailor uniforms and personal protective equipment (PPE). This technical innovation will assist distressed sailors in improving their performance and health in extreme heat or cold conditions. The proposed research, if successful, will have significant impacts on Department of Defense (DoD) operational capabilities, providing new technology solutions to better understand and manage the physiological and cognitive stressors in shipboard emergency response. It will also enhance DoD warfighter performance in diverse and unpredictable climates, aligning with DoD's mission in the face of climate change. The emphasis on scalable manufacturing further enables potential applications beyond the Navy to broadly benefit other industries requiring smart wearable technologies and thermal management solutions. Overall, this research project will strengthen the Navy's operational capabilities to ultimately improve ship recoverability and sailor survivability.

Presenting Author: Lili Cai University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Lili Cai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She obtained her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University with the Stanford Graduate Engineering Fellowship. Prior to joining University of Illinois in 2019, she conducted postdoctoral training in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University. Dr. Cai’s research is focused on bridging thermal science, nanotechnology and material manufacturing to advance energy and wearable applications. She has published ~ 38 peer-reviewed journal papers with more than 7700 citations and an H-index of 28. Her recent awards include MIT Technology Review’s 35 Under 35 list in 2020, the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS-PRF) Doctoral New Investigator Award in 2022, National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award in 2022, 2023 Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and 2024 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program Award.

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