A second skin-like device that will, depending on the environmental condition at a particular time, adjust and help us achieve comfort. When it rains, it can close off and help us feel warm. And when it is hurt, it can circulate a fluid that'll help us feel cooler.
Most of the things we do as humans are geared towards making us more comfortable. It is why we invented fans and air conditioners and they have undoubtedly improved our lives.
However, I wonder why we haven't optimized for one of the things that causes us the most discomfort: weather changes.
With this device, we can greatly improve human comfortability and, by extension, human productivity. There are numerous studies that prove this, including this study which examines the link between comfort and office productivity.
It will also increase our health and quality of life by a huge margin. Imagine you can walk freely in the rain without getting wet or having to feel the coldness it ushers in. You would definitely be able to escape the numerous health issues - tiredness, dry skin, and dry eyes, among others - that coldness heralds, alongside the emotional problems like irritation and frustration.
I envision a super thin nylon-like material we can wear on our bodies. Something that fits snugly and like a second skin. This device will have numerous pores that enable our skin to breath. As a result, we can wear it at all times.
The device will have a gel-like substance that cools. So, say it's a hot summer afternoon and you're feeling hot, the pores will close up. Then, the cooling gel will circulate all over your body and work to bring the heat down and make you more comfortable. Also, the gel can absorb your sweat and expel them.
If it's cold or you're caught in the rain, the pores will close off and keep you tightly enclosed. That way, rainwater will flow right off. They won't be able to permeate the second skin, talk more of touch your skin. As a result, you will be insulated from the cold you would otherwise feel if you weren't wearing it.
The skin should be thin and light so that users can go to sleep with it, if they want, without any discomfort.
Oguntola Tobi Nov 18, 2021