Skin Vessel

Skin Vessel Bodysuit

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Project Skinvessel leverages research from the Production Technology Research Institute to develop concepts that may lead to new products and services. In partnership with the DLX Design Lab, the Hasegawa Laboratory is working on a bodysuit designed to assist with temperature regulation by effectively “wearing blood vessels over the body.” The image below envisions a future scenario where the suit could be worn in extreme environments such as outer space or underwater.

Background and Inspiration

In the Hasegawa Laboratory, we focus on predicting and controlling fluid flow and the accompanying heat transfer. As part of this research, we developed an optimization algorithm for flow channels that satisfies two conflicting goals at once: “minimizing the pumping power required to drive fluid within a given space while maximizing cooling efficiency.” Many of the resulting optimal flow paths feature branched structures resembling biological vascular networks. This led to the hypothesis: “If we could wear a branching structure like blood vessels, might we achieve more efficient heat exchange in the human body?”

Wearing Blood Vessels

By applying the flow paths derived from the Hasegawa Laboratory’s fluid dynamics research, we positioned optimal water channels along the body’s surface. Our question became: could circulating hot or cold water through these channels enable efficient heat exchange for the human body? This design is analogous to the way real blood vessels circulate blood and regulate body temperature at the same time.

Prototyping

To turn this idea into an actual wearable garment, the project team engaged in active prototyping. We produced trial versions that could be worn to observe how circulating hot or cold water affected a wearer’s body temperature.

A Small, Innovative Pump

A key feature of this flow path is that it minimizes fluid resistance, allowing water to circulate readily without relying on a large pump. In contrast to conventional cooling vests that require a bulky external pump, we envision a smaller pump that works in tandem with the wearer’s movements. Through prototypes of a body-mounted pump leveraging human motion, we discovered that semi-automatic circulation is feasible without depending solely on a motor.

Future Prospects and Applications

Because this in-development garment can be made both lightweight and compact, it could be more practical than traditional cooling vests in active situations such as sports. We are also considering applications for individuals who have difficulty regulating body temperature or are sensitive to cold.

Additionally, we aim to expand use cases to include high-temperature and high-humidity environments where sweat does not evaporate easily, microgravity conditions in space, and even underwater scenarios. Going forward, we plan to pursue further miniaturization and mass production while personalizing the design to match individual vascular structures—broadening its potential use across a variety of settings.