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Space suit technology can protect workers from heatstroke 
The technology used in space suits to protect astronauts carrying out space walks in direct sunlight is now being used to develop protective clothing to safeguard firefighters and steel workers who often work in extremely hot and dangerous conditions. "The existing protective clothing used while performing physically demanding work in hot conditions can, in many cases, hinder workers' ability to remain cool," explains Stefano Carosio from the Italian company D'Appolonia, Project Manager for the Safe&Cool Project.
In Europe alone, the inability to shed excess heat and moisture through clothing results each year in over 1500 heatstrokes. These can be fatal unless medical help is at hand. Even more common, but less serious, are cases of heat stress. This affects an estimated 50 000 workers each year and increases the risk of injury at work due to loss of concentration. Even at a temperature 21ยบ C workers wearing impermeable protective clothing can suffer heat stress when carrying out hard physical work.
"If used for protective clothing this new material will make the working environment safer and better through reducing the risk of heat stress and heatstrokes for those operating in what can be dangerous and often stressful jobs."
The cooling apparatus used in the project has been developed by Grado Zero Espace and has already been used successfully in clothing for Formula-1 McLaren mechanics and the Spanish Moto-GP driver, Sete Gibernau. Following a preliminary feasibility and concept validation study supported by ESA's Technology Transfer Programme, the project received financial support from the EC under its CRAFT initiative to reach a pre-competitive stage of development.
The Safe&Cool system makes use of three special technologies. Firstly a special 3D-textile structure is used in the thermal and moisture management layer to replace the interliner and moisture barrier of classical three-layered protective clothing. The materials used in the special 3D-textile structure are hydrophobic thermal comfort fibres to avoid a wet feeling when in contact with the body, combined with hydrophilic fibres to create suction channels to transport moisture away from the skin.
The second technology is the cooling apparatus derived from astronauts' suits. This enables liquid to be circulated through tubing inserted in cavities in the 3D-textile structure, creating 'blood vessels' for heat removal. A water-binding polymer is the third technology and this will be added either as a coating or in the form of a powder dispersed inside the fabrics.
"Producing protective suits based on the combination of these three technologies will increase the safety of those carrying out tasks in dangerous environments," says Pierre Brisson, head of ESA's Technology Transfer and Promotion Office. "This is another good example of how advanced technologies and concepts already developed for space - in this case to protect our astronauts - can provide innovative and advantageous solutions for people on Earth."
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