NC170: Personal Protective Technologies for Current and Emerging Occupational and Environmental Hazards

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Active

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SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[10/21/2022] [09/12/2023] [12/05/2024] [11/12/2025] [10/06/2026]

Date of Annual Report: 10/21/2022

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 10/20/2022 - 10/22/2022
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2021 - 09/30/2022

Participants

Gang Sun
Charles Freeman
Chunhui Xiang
Shu Hwa Lin
Yingying Wu
Elizabeth Bye
Sumat Mandal
Anugrah Shaw
Guowen Song
Dawn Michaelson
Hang Liu

Participants Attachment:

NC170 Annual Report 2022.pdf

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes Attachment:

NC170 Annual Report 2022.pdf

Accomplishments

Objective 1 With collaborators, CO developed a manuscript from data were collected from manufacturer-provided web communications regarding sizing and fit, user surveys (n = 74), and 1:1 interviews (n = 31) with U.S. female firefighters. This manuscript specifically addresses sizing and fitting process challenges experienced by female firefighter’s.  COLLABORATORS: MO, CO, MN, IA, KS, OR, GA (Brenau)             OK Partially developed TASL at OSU to evaluate the protective and comfort performance of fabrics.             NY - The study on firefighters’ feet by sex and weight-bearing identified dynamic change in foot morphology that impacts comfort, fit and mobility. This data can be used to improve sizing system of fireboots for female and male firefighters.             Decontamination studies on materials used in cloth face masks quantified the impact of laundering, dishwasher cycles or microwave steam on the filtration efficiency and breathability of a range of woven, nonwoven and knit fabrics.  Tightly woven cotton fabrics had unacceptably low breathability as measured by air permeability.  Knit and nonwoven fabrics had the best balance of breathability and particle capture and could be suitable as layers in multilayer face masks.  None of the materials tested were effective at capturing virus sized particles (0.3 μm) as a single layer filter. (Objective 1).   Objective 2 CO is currently processing body scans of female firefighters to extract body measurements. Collaborators developed the protocol for placing landmarks in the digital scan for the lower body. CO worked with KS to develop a parallel protocol for land marking the upper body. These data are landmarked and nearly ready to send off to collaborators at KS and FSU to extract measurements, develop the measurement sheet, and analyze the data.             NY - The study on facemasks developed and assessed new designs, material structure, size/fit assessment guidelines, and new realistic methods of evaluating filtration and comfort. The study on coveralls evaluated the fit of digital coveralls in static and animated poses created by 3D body scans of 35 men and women (Objectives 2 and 3).   Objective 3 WA - Met with Anugrah Shaw to discuss Washington State University’s involvement in the project. Polled contacts across the U.S. and found a program that provided information regarding categorizing hand-held applications for a global operator exposure database.             MA - Develop/revise and implement research-based performance guidelines and standards for items and systems of personal protective equipment and protective clothing. Participated in Project Group for revision of the spray test used in ISO 27065. Principal Investigator, as the Convenor of ISO/TC94/SC13/WG3 on chemical protective clothing is actively involved in the revision of other PPE standards.   Objective 4 WA has developed cotton and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based conductive fibers with intrinsically conductive polymers and fabricated both strain and chemical sensors. The sensing effects have been evaluated and the results showed promising applications for smart wearables.             MN developed a systematic process for improving the body-product relationship of mask fit.  MN developed new facial anthropometry for predicting mask fit and the new measurements achieve 100% mask fit prediction accuracy for healthcare workers.   Over the last five years, MN and UO hand research has demonstrated a true need for detailed analysis of static and dynamic hand measurements. MN and UO team created a first of its kind large-scale 3D hand anthropometric database with over 800 hand scans. Exploring the application of new 3D hand data has been a top priority of the lab. We explored new technologies such as 3D simulation and digital prototyping which offer endless design opportunities for gloves and hand tools. The MN and UO anthropometric data and design research will inform functional glove and tool design for a range of fields and consumers.             KS - The work done by KS group has been centered on objective 1 & 2. The KS group investigated factors that impact the selection, use, care and maintenance of firefighting turnout coats and pants. Three-dimensional body scans of female firefighters were analyzed to understand female fighters’ body shape and size. Female firefighters’ concerns and needs of PPEs were also studies using surveys and interviews. A market analysis was also performed to understand the gap between user’s expectations/needs and what are available in the market. Besides, new designs of turnout coats and pants were developed based on the KS group’s research, and found to be of great potential for benefitting fire women.             NY - The study on wearable respiration and gait-monitoring systems can be further developed and commercialized for remote/real-time monitoring of health conditions for first responders, and vulnerable population including children and elderly citizens. (Objective 4) The study on convertible design of survival jackets made of post-use tent offers thermal protection for homeless with minimal alteration of post-use tent. (Objective 4) OR - The University of Oregon has been actively collaborating with other NC-170 universities (Minnesota, Cornell, Florida State, Iowa State, Kansas State and Colorado State) to analyze qualitative and quantitative data and develop peer review papers to disseminate research related to female firefighter PPE (boots, gloves, coats, and pants). University of Oregon has specifically researched footwear traction characteristics for aging users indoors and outdoors, evaluated if human perception through touch can correlate with effusivity, and developed methods to landmark, measure and analyze 3D body scans with machine learning.       HI continued the work ECG on personal use and wearable sensors for monitoring health care.             FL - The study on female firefighter anthropometrics met objective one to investigate factors that impact the selection and use of protective clothing for an underserved workplace population (female firefighters). All other projects met objective two to assess and improve the performance of PPE and protective clothing for first responders, racing athletes, and vulnerable populations.

Publications

Cao, Q., Kim, S.C., Ou, Q., Chung, H.Y., Chen, W., Durfee, W., Arnold, S., Hillmyer, M., Griffin, L., & Pui, D., (2022) A Study on Common Respirator and Face Mask Materials Regarding Filtration Performance and Fiber Shedding Behaviors. Journal of Separation and Purification Technology. Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4132447. [5337] Cloet, A. G, *Griffin, L., Yu, M. G, & Durfee, W. (2022) Design considerations for protective mask development: A remote mask usability evaluation. Applied Ergonomics. 102, 103751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103751 [9470] Cloet, A. G, Yu, M. G, & *Griffin, L. (2022). Activity and Usability Evaluation of Alternative Protective Face Mask Designs. Accepted in Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. [4584]         Du Puis, J., Goodge, K., Forstenhausler, L., Maher, M., Frey, M., Baytar, F., & Park, H. (2022). Cloth Face Mask Fit and Functionality for Children 4-6 Years Old – Part I: Design Exploration, Fashion and Textiles, 9(1), 1-20. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00287-8">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00287-8</a> Galada, A. & Baytar, F., Developing a prediction model for crotch length measurement to improve bifurcated garment fit and enable mass customization (In Press). International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology Goodge, K., Maher, M., Du Puis, J., Park, H, Baytar, F., & Frey, M. (In Press). Cloth Face Mask Fit and Functionality for Children 4-6 Years Old – Part II: Materials, Fashion and Textiles. Goodge, K.; Frey, M. Cloth Face Coverings: Effect of Decontamination Method on Fabric Performance. AATCC Journal of Research 2022. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/24723444221132051">https://doi.org/10.1177/24723444221132051</a> Griffin, L., Cloet, A. G, & Bye, E. (Fall 2022) A model for compression textile design considerations based on dynamic female body measurements. In K. Nimesh (Editor), Compression textiles for medical, sports, and allied applications, Taylor and Francis. [8380] Griffin, L., Juhnke, B. G, Pokorny, C. G, Seifert, E. G, Savvateev, E. G, & Yu, M G. (Accepted, In Press) The Body-Product Relationship for Aging Women Examined through the Lens of Functional Anthropometry, [Special Issue on Anthropometrics]. Ergonomics in Design: The Quarterly of Human Factors Applications. (Accepted, in press) [5730] Griffin, L., Yu, M. G, Cloet, A. G, Arnold, S., Carlson, N., Hillmyer, M., Ou, Q., Pei, C., Cao, Q., Pui, D., Franklin, R., and Durfee, W. (2022). Protective masks utilizing non-endangered components. ASME. J. Med. Devices. 16(1): 015001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053720 [6126] Jo, J., Sokolowski, S., McQuerry, M., Griffin, L. & Park, H. (2022). Firefighters’ feet: differences by sex and weight-bearing. Applied Ergonomics, 102, DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103753 Jo, J., Xu, A., Mishra, A. K., Bai, H., Derkovorkian, A., Rabinovitch, J., Park, H., & Shepherd, R. (2022), Advanced Materials Technologies. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202200437">https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202200437</a> Lin, S., Boorady, L. M., & Pate, S.S. (2022). "The Current and Future Use of RFID by Apparel Retailers," SSRG International Journal of Polymer and Textile Engineering, 9(3), 1-5. <a href="https://doi.org/10.14445/23942592/IJPTE-V9I3P101">https://doi.org/10.14445/23942592/IJPTE-V9I3P101</a> Lin, S., Boorady, L., & Kang, J. (2022). Experiencing body scan and computer simulation virtual fitting. International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology. 10 (7), 21-29. <a href="https://doi.org/10.14445/22312803/IJCTT-V70I7P105">https://doi.org/10.14445/22312803/IJCTT-V70I7P105</a> Liu, W., Chang, Y. C., Zhang, J., & Liu, H. (2022). Wet-Spun Side-by-Side Electrically Conductive Composite Fibers. ACS Applied Electronic Materials, 4(4), 1979-1988.              Liu, X., Wu, Y., & Wu, H. (2022, July). Machine Learning Enabled 3D Body Measurement Estimation                               Using Hybrid Feature Selection and Bayesian Search. Applied Sciences.  Mandal, S., Song, G. (2022) Characterizing steam penetration through thermal protective fabric materials. Textiles, 2(1), 16-28. Mandal, S., Song, G., & Grover, I. B. (2022). Modeling of hot-water and steam protective performance of fabrics used in firefighters’ clothing. Fire and Materials, 46(2), 463-475. Mazumdar, N., Mandal, S., Agnew, J. R., Petrova, A., Boorady, M, L., Song, G. (2022). Characterizing the tensile Strength of the fabric materials used in firefighters’ protective clothing under radiant heat exposure. Polymers, 14(2), 296. Mazumdar, N., Mandal, S., Boorady, M, L., Knoepfli, K. (2022). Homemade textile-based masks during COVID-19 pandemic – An Innovative Solutions to Meet Needs of the Residences in an US Community. International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) Annual Conference Proceedings Fashioning Resurgence, 23, 41-47. McQuerry, M. & Easter, E. (2022). Wildland firefighting personal protective clothing cleaning practices in the United States. Fire Technology, 58(3), 1667-1688, DOI: 10.1007/s10694-021-01212-z (Impact 2.239) McQuerry, M., Easter, E., & Cao, A. (2021). Disposable versus reusable medical gowns: a performance comparison. American Journal of Infection Control, 49(5), 563-570, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2020.10.013 (Impact 2.294) Moraes, A.S.P., Carvalho, M.A.F., Boldt, R.S., Ferreira, F.B.N., Ashdown, S.P., Griffin, L. (2022). Firefighters’ Anthropometrics: A Comparison Between Two Portuguese Fire Brigades. In: Black, N.L., Neumann, W.P., Noy, I. (eds) Proceedings of the 21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association. IEA 2021. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 223. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74614-8_12 [3778] Morrissey, M.,  Casa, D., Brewer, G., Adams, W., Hosokawa, Y., Benjamin, C., Grundstein, A., Hostler, D., McDermott, B., McQuerry, M., Stearns, R., Filep, E., DeGroot, D., Fulcher, J., Flouris, A., Jacklitsch, B., Jardine, J., Lopez, R., McCarthy, R., Pitisladis, Y., Pryor, R., Schlader, Z., Smith, C., Smith, D., Spector, J., Vanos, J., Williams, W.J., Vargas, N., & Yeargin, S. (2021). Heat safety in the workplace: modified delphi consensus to establish strategies and resources at the organizational level to protect U.S. workers. GeoHealth, 5(8), 1-32, DOI: 10.1029/2021GH000443 (Impact: 4.53) Pettys-Baker, R. G, Smith, J. U, Clarke, M. G, Cook, E. G,  Xiong, B. U, Yu, M. G, & *Griffin, L. (2022). A contemporary investigation into anthropometric dimensions and applications for design 70 years after the publication of "The Average Man." Accepted in Proceedings of the Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics 2022. [3808] Psikuta, A., Sherif, F., Mert, E., Mandal, S., Annaheim, S. (2022). Clothing air gaps in various postures at firefighters work. doi: 10.1007/s00484-022-02391-2 International Journal of Biometeorolgy. Riedy, R. & McQuerry, M. (in revision). Thermal comfort analysis of auto-racing suits using a sweating thermal manikin. Journal of Industrial Textiles (14 pages) Sokolowski, S. L. & Zou. (2022). Workflow Analysis to Understand Ease of Importing, Stitching and Dressing Existing N95 Mask Patterns with Current 3D Apparel Modeling Software Programs for Sizing and Fit. International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). DOI: 10.31274/itaa.13487 Sokolowski, S. L., & Bettencourt, C. (2022). Understanding Footwear Traction Performance to Reduce the Risk of Outdoor Falls and Improve Mobility for the Aging Population. Interdisciplinary Practice in Industrial Design, 48, 108-116. DOI:10.54941/ahfe1002022 Sokolowski, S. L., Searcy, J. A., Calabrese, D., and Zou, Y. (2021, October). Exemplar 3D Faces and N95 Pleated Mask Measurement Comparison by Sex and Race. Proceedings of Sokolowski, S., Griffin, L., Wu, Y., McKinney, E., Morris, K., & Bettencourt, C. (2022). Examination of current U.S. female firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) sizing and fitting process challenges: an opportunity to improve fit. Fashion and Textiles, 9 (40). Doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00314-8">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00314-8</a> Sokolowski, S., Griffin, L., Wu, Y., McKinney, E., Morris, K., & Bettencourt, C. (Accepted, In Press). Examination of current U.S. female firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) sizing and fitting process challenges: An opportunity to improve safety. Fashion and Textiles.  [9921] Sokolowski, S., Marks, M., Park, H., Griffin, L., & McQuerry, M., (2022). Visual, volumetric and anthropometric measurements comparisons between boot interior and 3d foot scans to improve firefighters safety. Interdisciplinary Practice in Industrial Design, AHFE International, 48, 91-99, DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1002020 (Impact: 1.49) Sokolowski, S., Park, H., Griffin, L., & McQuerry, M. & Tuttle, J. (2022). Visual, volumetric, and anthropometric measurements comparisons between boot interior and 3D foot scans to improve firefighters safety. Interdisciplinary Practice in Industrial Design, AHFE International, 48, 91-99, DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1002020 Sokolowski, S., Park, H., Griffin, L., McQuerry, M., & Tuttle, J. (2022). Visual, Volumetric and Anthropometric Measurement Comparisons Between Boot Interior and 3D Foot Scans to Improve Female Firefighter Safety. Accepted in Proceedings of the Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics 2022.[3135] Sokolowski, S.L., Karolidis, E., Hakimian, A., Ackermann, S. (2022). Measuring Cool Touch of Key Sports Performance Apparel T-Shirt Materials Using a Modified Transient Plane Source (MTPS) Sensor to Inform Future Technology Development. In: TMS 2022 151st Annual Meeting & Exhibition Supplemental Proceedings. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-92381-5_126 Song, H.K., Baytar, F., Ashdown, S. & Kim, S. (2021). 3D anthropometric analysis of women’s aging bodies: upper body shape and posture changes. Fashion Practice, 1-24. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17569370.2021.1879463">https://doi.org/10.1080/17569370.2021.1879463</a> Yu, M. G & Griffin, L. (2022). A Pilot Study of Healthcare Workers’ Experience With Personal Protective Equipment. Accepted in Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. [3865] Yu, M. G & Griffin, L. (2022). User-Centered Design of a Face Shield for Healthcare Workers. Accepted in Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. [3549]

Impact Statements

Colorado CO (with collaborators OR, MN, KS, IA) - Firewomen experience fit challenges when selecting turnout coats and pants, leading to concerns about mobility and safety. This research builds an understanding of specific fit problems on the ability of firewomen to do their challenging work in a safe and stress-free manner. Interview and survey data collected for the manuscript pinpointed experiences with the PPE sizing processes that led to poor fit. The data also identified previously undocumented knowledge gaps between NFPA size standards, commercialized products, and processes used by manufacturers and firehouses to fit female practitioners. With effective fire industry partnerships and future research, women can experience fewer injuries, and improved comfort, and work performance with their PPE while establishing equality with their male counterparts. Florida Conducted nationwide three-dimensional body scanning on female firefighters in relation to the fit of their PPE to produce the largest female firefighter-specific anthropometric database to date. Evaluated auto-racing suits, a sustainable tent jacket for the homeless, and structural firefighter turnout suits on a state-of-the-art sweating thermal manikin. Hawaii The development of adopting VitaSigns for monitoring firefighters has resulted in the applications in the vest for firefighters and health care applications. During the pandemic, Hawaii was experiencing the shortfall of resourcing materials and protective devices. Our goal was to provide instruction in such a way that all testing and construction could be done at home, allowing students to continue testing and making masks outside of school and opening the door for students and the community to teach others. Kansas During this reporting period, the K-State research group focused on the development of new firefighting Turnout coats and pants for firewomen. A new turnout coat and a new pair of turnout pants were designed and prototyped based on female firefighters’ body shape. The new designs, upon validation and finalization, has great potentials for a new patent and commercialization, therefore benefiting the domestic female firefighters’ onsite performance and safety to a great extent. Maryland Development of laboratory and field methods to measure decontamination and transfer of pesticide residues in garments worn by pesticide operators Methodology. The methodology can serve as baseline studies for future research. Minnesota MN has led the creation of six major 3D and 4D databases to aid in our understanding of the body-product relationship. We have collected data from over 1000 participants since 2016, utilizing hand-held, stationary, and 4D scanning systems. The landmarking, scanning, measurement, and analysis methods for each database were developed to improve the body-product relationship for specific wearable products. MN developed a systematic process for improving the body-product relationship of mask fit. MN developed new facial anthropometry for predicting mask fit and the new measurements achieve 100% mask fit prediction accuracy for healthcare workers. Over the last five years, MN and UO hand research has demonstrated a true need for detailed analysis of static and dynamic hand measurements. In 2019, the HDL team created a first of its kind large-scale 3D hand anthropometric database with over 800 hand scans. Exploring the application of new 3D hand data has been a top priority of the lab. We explored new technologies such as 3D simulation and digital prototyping which offer endless design opportunities for gloves and hand tools. The HDL anthropometric data and design research will inform functional glove and tool design for a range of fields and consumers. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional N95 respirators were in short supply in the United States, MN led an interdisciplinary team of experts in the development of new mask designs that use repurposed filtration media and commercially available components. Filtration efficiency test results showed that the filtration media can be used for high quality facemasks and quantitative fit testing demonstrated that the new mask designs could be viable alternatives to traditional N95 respirators. In fact, our research demonstrated that the MNmask fit performance was superior to several N95 respirators currently on the market. MN created a process for quickly manufacturing the mask designs, and manufacturing viability was tested by utilizing an unskilled workforce to create 6000 masks over 10 days during the pandemic. This research has continued to produce a far-reaching body of knowledge around mask design, face anthropometry and mask fit prediction, mask usability, and differences in mask fit for occupational and general use. By integrating a systems approach to design, MN research has advanced our understanding and discovery of the body-product relationship, interdisciplinary mask design research, systematic causes of sizing, fit, and safety challenges with turnout gear, organizational and systems influence on the hospital gown. MN research expands the design process for human and global systems to address product inequities and industry shortcomings. New York Conducted nationwide three-dimensional scanning on female/male firefighters’ feet in relation to the fit and comfort of their fire boots to improve sizing systems of fire boots. Developed wearable respiration and gait monitoring system by engineering stretchable fiber-optic sensors. Also developed new design, testing method and material structure to improve comfort, fit and filtration of cloth facemasks. Developed convertible jackets made of post-use tent for thermal protection for homeless. Developed methods to evaluate virtual PPE coverall fit on animated body scans. Developed methods to evaluate the fit of facemasks by using virtual prototypes. Oklahoma Oklahoma State University (OK State) mainly focused on developing a Textile and Apparel Science Laboratory (TASL). The purpose of this laboratory will be to analyze the protective and comfort performance of textile materials through bench-/full-scale equipment and modeling. Oregon The University of Oregon has been actively participating on the NC-170 project with scanning/anthropometric research, data analysis, paper writing and conference presentations. Washington The development of side-by-side wet-spun conductive fibers has opened up a new technology paradigm to manufacture unspinnable polymers into fibers. The strain and chemical sensors fabricated from the side-by-side conductive fibers have great potential applications in smart wearables.

Date of Annual Report: 09/12/2023

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/11/2023 - 09/14/2023
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2022 - 09/30/2024

Participants

Gang Sun, Charles Freeman, Chunhui Xiang, Elizabeth Bye, Sumat Mandal, Dawn Michaelson, Linsey Griffin, Shu Hwa Lin, Fatima Baytar, and Ashley Mueller (NIFA)

Participants Attachment:

NC170 Annual Report 2023.pdf

Brief Summary of Minutes

The annual meeting was during the first day of AATCC’s 2023 Textile Discovery Summit in Greenville, South Carolina, on September 12, 2023 at 6 pm. Ashley Mueller provided the NIFA update and report, then communicated the praise our 2022 Annual Report received at the meeting.

Items of note:

Gang Sun will be retiring July 2025.

Elizabeth “Missy” Bye will be retiring, and Lynn Boorady will be taking over as the NC-170 advisor.

Shu Hwa Lin reported that a Cotton Inc. proposal had been submitted in 2023 but was not selected this year. She stated that they will apply next year.

NC-170 was excited to have its annual meeting at the 2023 Textile Discovery Summit in Greenville, South Carolina, where collaboration could be made with industry leaders and researchers. There was a total of 19 abstracts submitted to the NC-170 session. While the majority were members, there was one abstract from a non-member. Eleven abstracts were chosen for the oral sessions and the remaining 8 were given a poster session during the general sessions.

Attendees broke into two sections; 1- Textile Science related and 2 – Design and Product Development related to discuss progress on the current project. Section 1 held discussions on grant opportunities that would be reviewed and applied for during the 2023-2024 academic year. Section 2 discussed the design project collaboration with Anugrah Shaw (not present at the annual meeting) and the design challenges for pesticide worker PPE garments. Discuss and suggestions for changes to materials and design were given by the members. Additional discussion was conducted on additional research projects and collaborations with the members.

The NC-170 oral presentation session topics and authors are included on the next page.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:55 pm

Minutes Attachment:

NC170 Annual Report 2023.pdf

Accomplishments

Objective 1   Colorado With collaborators, CO developed a manuscript from data were collected from manufacturer-provided web communications regarding sizing and fit, user surveys (n = 74), and 1:1 interviews (n = 31) with U.S. female firefighters. This manuscript specifically addresses sizing and fitting process challenges experienced by female firefighter’s.  COLLABORATORS: MO, CO, MN, IA, KS, OR, GA (Brenau) Iowa Novel colorimetric nanofiber-based sensors to detect pesticides for chemical protective clothing. Our initial effort focused on the colorimetric change that can be easily detected by the naked eye. The nanofiber-based sensors are lightweight and strong and can be tailored to detect pesticides. In addition, nanofiber-based sensors have a large surface area and 3D nanofiber network, which can increase the potential number of molecules that can react with pesticides and also enhance the roughness of the substrate’s surface to increase sensitivity. Kansas - The KS group investigated factors that impact the selection, use, care, and maintenance of firefighting turnout coats and pants. With collaborators (MN, OR, CO, IA, MO, GA), KS developed a manuscript from data collected from manufacturer-provided web communications regarding sizing and fit, user surveys (n = 74), and 1:1 interviews (n = 31) with U.S. female firefighters. This manuscript specifically addresses sizing and fitting process challenges experienced by female firefighters. Besides, KS independently conducted a market analysis to understand the gap between users’ expectations/needs and what is available in the market and prepared a journal manuscript accordingly. Mississippi Research and development in the field of smart personal protective equipment (PPE) have led to significant strides in safeguarding workers' health and safety. Textile-based wearable technologies have been crafted to monitor a range of health and environmental conditions, thus providing real-time data that can prevent injury and illness. These smart garments are designed to detect excessive heat, harmful chemicals, biological threats, and even radiation exposure.   The innovative sensors embedded within these textiles can track the wearer's physical stress and exertion, as well as the physiological responses to harsh environmental conditions. The result is a line of PPE that not only fits the wearer's needs but also actively contributes to their safety by alerting them to potential hazards. This proactive approach aims to improve overall job performance while ensuring that safety is never compromised.   The prototypes developed have shown promise in increasing users' performance and enhancing safety measures. They signify a leap forward in PPE technology, combining sustainability with function by using reusable materials that stand up to the rigors of varied work environments. These advancements represent a vital step towards a future where PPE is not just a requirement but a dynamic tool for health and safety management. New York Cornell University developed and validated the effectiveness of fiber optic wearable respiration monitoring system and gait monitoring system which can be applied to firefighters’ protective gear.  Cornell University confirmed the potential of conventional fabrics in layered systems for effective and comfortable face masks. Oklahoma Partially developed Textile and Apparel Science Laboratory (TASL) at Oklahoma State University to evaluate the protective and comfort performance of fabrics. Washington WA has developed cotton and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based conductive fibers with intrinsically conductive polymers and liquid metal, and fabricated both strain and chemical sensors. The sensing effects have been evaluated and the results showed promising applications for smart wearables. Fundamental study of understanding the fiber spinning fluid dynamics is ongoing.   Objective 2   California Develop and evaluate textile-based/wearable smart PPE systems to meet users’ needs. Developing and evaluating textile-based wearable and sustainable/reusable sensing technologies for improving PPE that can monitor health conditions and environmental conditions. The outcome of the prototype of the new technologies will enhance users’ performance and improve safety. Specifically, the sensors will target physical and physiological strains and environmental conditions such as heat stress, thermal, chemical, biological, ionizing radiation hazards. In addition, sensors will measure indicators related to wearers’ physical exertion and strain or physiological and environmental conditions. CA developed novel e-textile stretch/strain sensors which can be integrated into PPE to monitor movement and body postures to assess user’s physical exertion. CA developed an e-textile bioimpedance spectroscopy system that can integrated into PPE to monitor especially lung health of users.   Develop novel functionality and applications of materials for PPE and health/safety solutions: <ol> <li>research novel materials and technologies that can provide desired functions;</li> <li>research novel textile-integrated sensing techniques</li> <li>evaluate the performance of the materials for personal protective applications</li> </ol>   CA continued the development of rechargeable halamine and photo-active biocidal films, nonwoven fabrics, nanofibrous membranes and hydrogel beads for various applications including food containers and packaging materials that can provide surface self-disinfecting functions; developed colorimetric foam-based ELISA sensors for pesticides and antibiotics for protection of human and environmental health. In addition, the team has developed detoxifying sensing materials for fumigants and chemicals. Colorado CO is currently processing body scans of female firefighters to extract body measurements. Collaborators developed the protocol for placing landmarks in the digital scan for the lower body. CO worked with KS to develop a parallel protocol for land marking the upper body. These data are landmarked and nearly ready to send off to collaborators at KS and FSU to extract measurements, develop the measurement sheet, and analyze the data. Florida All projects met objective two to assess and improve the performance of PPE and protective clothing for first responders, military personnel, migrant farmworkers, construction workers, and many other industrial occupations and vulnerable populations. Hawaii HI continued the work ECG on personal use and wearable sensors for monitoring health care. Iowa The development of a controlled consistent smoke generation system for PPE contamination study, decontamination approach efficacy evaluation, and exposure health effects investigation. The development of computer vision and AI based anthropometric tool for anthropometric data collection for PPE sizing and fit analysis and PPE development. Kansas - With collaborators (MN, OR, CO, IA, MO, GA), KS processed body scans of female firefighters to extract body measurements. Collaborators developed the protocol for placing landmarks in the digital scan for the lower body. KS worked with CO to develop a parallel protocol for landmarking the upper body. These data are landmarked and nearly ready to send off to collaborators at KS and FSU to extract measurements, develop the measurement sheet, and analyze the data. 2) KS independently designed and constructed prototypes of a new turnout coat and a new pair of turnout pants based on female firefighters’ body shapes, which were found to be of great potential for benefitting firewomen. Maryland – Operator exposure is often higher for hand-held applications. Potential and actual exposure data in the global operator exposure database for hand-held applications was analyzed to determine protection provided by garments in approximately 50 studies. Workwear garments made with fabrics that meet Level C1 requirements can be use as the base requirement based on operator exposure studies analyzed. Data for studies conducted with workwear and impermeable rain suits/rain pants demonstrate the ability of made with “impermeable” materials to mitigate risk in high exposure scenarios. would be required to mitigate risk for high-exposure scenarios.   Kenya was selected for pilot testing of risk assessment and mitigation tool that is being developed as an ICPPE project. PPE partnership project was initiated in Kenya to develop C1 base garment and partial body C3 garment for knapsack sprayers. For this study two 1/3 scale prototypes were developed to obtain input from farmers/operators. User acceptance studies were conducted by BASF and Syngenta in different regions in Kenya. The grassroots approach allowed approximately 180 farmers/operators to provide input in the color and garment feature for the PPE that is being produced for prototype to be used for wear trials. As part of the partnership project, prototypes were developed for C3 partial body garments for knapsack applicators. These garments as well as a commercially available PPE was used by BASF to obtain initial feedback from users in Indonesia, India and Thailand.   The partnership project in Kenya served as the pilot to develop a global database that includes information on common application scenarios and user preferences. In addition, methodology for qualitative assessment of partial body garments using commonly available dye used for food coloring. The methodology was based on preliminary study information shared by member of an international working group. The methodology was pilot tested in September 2023 in collaboration with Konkuk University and Rural Development Authority in S. Korea.   Material used for C1 garment prototype met ISO 27065 C1 requirements. A database is being developed for C3 materials. Data for 20 materials was entered in the database. This database will be used for the revision of OSO 27065. Minnesota Developed a new method to measure and compare the interior fit of multi-layered gloves. Developed new half-mask respirator-specific landmarks and measurements, which enabled the ability to accurately predict N95 mask fit. Conducted civilian mask fit research and discovered that age impacts N95 mask fit: The older you are, quantitative mask fit is significantly lower. Grew civilian dynamic hand database to over 1000 participants and close to 3000 3D hand scans.  The database will be analyzed to understand hand clearances (funded by Toyota), glove fit (FEMA & NASA), and general anthropometry. Mississippi Research efforts in 2022 included a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of fabric masks, crucial for public health safety during the pandemic. This work contributed to improving public health messaging by quantifying fabric mask effectiveness, potentially influencing personal protective strategies in communities worldwide. Innovations in wearable PPE were recognized internationally, such as the development of a leakage minimization face barrier and a cottonseed oil polymer, the latter of which was awarded Best New Innovation in 2022. These advancements demonstrate significant strides in creating more effective and sustainable PPE solutions. Further research delved into the biomechanical, physiological, and subjective perceptions of personal flotation devices, contributing to the safety and performance of such equipment in demanding environments. Additionally, efforts to cultivate rural entrepreneurship highlight the broader implications of this work in community and economic vitality, showcasing the value of aligning PPE development with the needs of diverse occupational groups, including those in underserved rural areas. New York Cornell University proposed and evaluated new design, sizing systems, and new materials to improve children’s cloth face masks.  Cornell University is developing maternity coverall designs to improve fit inclusivity for pregnant pesticide operators.

Publications

Amaly, Noha, Ahmed Y. EL-Moghazy, Basant Eweida Pramod K. Pandey, Gang Sun. "Development of sulfonated and aminated poly (ethylene-vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous membrane as a solid phase extraction matrix for trace metal ions preconcentration from dairy wastewater for direct ICP-OES analyses." Reactive and Functional Polymer,184, (2023), 1155191. Amaly, Noha, Ahmed Y. EL-Moghazy, Nitin Nitin, Gang Sun, Pramod K. Pandey. "Design, preparation, and application of novel multilayer metal polyphenol composite on macroporous framework melamine foam for effective filtration removal of tetracycline in fluidic systems." Separation and Purification Technology, 2023, V321, 124238. Baskan, A., Goncu-Berk, G. (2023). User experience of Wearable Technologies: A comparative analysis of textile-based and accessory-based wearable products. Applied Sciences.12 (21), 12(21), 11154. Burch, R., Luczak, T. Ball, J., Saucier, D., Chander, H., & Freeman, C. “Wearable Sensor Motion Capture System” Utility U.S. Patent #11,672,480. Awarded & Continuation filed. 05/2023 Cao, Qingfeng, Seong Chan Kim, Qisheng Ou, Hoo Young Chung, Weiqi Chen, William Durfee, Susan Arnold, Marc A. Hillmyer, Linsey A. Griffin, and David YH Pui. "Filtration Performance and Fiber Shedding Behavior in Common Respirator and Face Mask Materials." Available at SSRN 4132447 (2022). Cloet, A., Griffin, L., Yu, M., & Durfee, W. (2022) Design considerations for protective mask development: A remote mask usability evaluation. Applied Ergonomics. 102, 103751. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103751">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103751</a> Davarzani, S., Saucier, D., Talegaonkar, P., Parker, E., Turner, A., Middleton, C., W., Ball, J. E., Gurbuz, A., Chander, H., Burch, R. F., Smith, B. K., Knight, A., & Freeman, C. (2023). Closing the Wearable Gap: Foot-ankle Kinematic Modeling via Deep Learning Models Based on a Smart Sock Wearable. Wearable Technologies. Accepted In Press. Derby, H., Chander, H., Kodithuwakku Arachchige, S. N. K., Turner, A., Knight, A. C., Burch, R. F., Freeman, C., Wade, C., & Garner, J. C. (2023). Occupational Footwear Design Influences Biomechanics and Physiology of Human Postural Control and Fall Risk. Applied Sciences, 13(1), 116. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010116">https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010116</a>. Derby, H., Conner, N., Talukder, A., Griffith, A., Freeman, C., Burch, R., F., Simpson, J., Goble, D., Knight, A., & Chander, H. (2022). Impact of sub-clinical and clinical compression socks on postural stability tasks among individuals with ankle instability. Healthcare, 10(7), 1271. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10071271">http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10071271</a>. Du Puis, J., Goodge, K., Forstenhausler, L., Maher, M., Frey, M., Baytar, F., & Park, H.      (2022). Cloth Face Mask Fit and Functionality for Children 4-6 Years Old – Part I: Design      Exploration, Fashion and Textiles (Impact factor: 2.765). 9(1), 1-20. DOI:      <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00287-8">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00287-8</a> El-Moghazy, A., N. Amaly, G. Sun, and N. Nitin. "Development and clinical evaluation of commercial glucose meter coupled with nanofiber based immuno-platform for self-diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva." Talanta 253 (2023): 124117-124117. Freeman, C., Orzada, B., Cobb, K., and Talukder, A. (2022). Being Part of a Winning Team: A Problem-based Approach to Teach Sustainability Adoption in Collegiate Athletic Uniforms. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education. pp 1-8. Freeman, C.; Burch, R.; and Casey, L. “Face Filtration Mount for Automated Filter Tester” Non-provisional U.S. Patent #29/801984. Awarded. 06/2023. Goncu-Berk, G. (2022). Blink: Heart Rate Monitoring Sport Bra. TMC Smart Textiles and Innovation Salon, Montreal-Canada. Goncu-Berk, G. Dadhich, Y. Shahaj, E. (2023). Wearable technology, Virtual Fashion & Immersive Technologies, in Accelerating Sustainability in Fashion, Apparel and Textiles (Eds) Charter. M., Black, S., Routledge. Goncu-Berk, G., Ha, S.Y., Zhang, R. (2022). Distanced: Proximity Sensitive Morphing Dress. ITMC Smart Textiles and Innovation Salon, Montreal-Canada. Goncu-Berk, G., Zhang, R. (2022). Bloom: Touch Actuated Interactive Collar. ITMC Smart Textiles and Innovation Salon, Montreal-Canada. Goodge, K., Maher, M., Du Puis, J., Park, H, Baytar, F., & Frey, M. (2022). Cloth Face Mask Fit and Functionality for Children 4-6 Years Old – Part II: Materials, Fashion and Textiles, 9(1), 1-18 (Impact factor: 2.765). Griffin, L., Cloet, A., & Bye, E. (2023). 4. A Model for Compression Textile Design Based on Dynamic Female Lower Body Measurements. In Compression Textiles for Medical, Sports, and Allied Applications (pp. 39-58). CRC Press. Griffin, L., Juhnke, B., Pokorny, C., Seifert, E., Savvateev, E., & Yu, M. (2023) The Body Product Relationship for Aging Women Examined through the Lens of Functional Anthropometry, [Special Issue on Anthropometrics]. Ergonomics in Design: The Quarterly of Human Factors Applications.  <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/10648046221134567">https://doi.org/10.1177/10648046221134567</a> Griffin, L., Yu, M., Cloet, A., Arnold, S., Carlson, N., Hillmyer, M., Ou, Q., Pei, C., Cao, Q., Pui, D., Franklin, R., and Durfee, W. (2022). Protective masks utilizing non-endangered components. ASME. J. Med. Devices. 16(1): 015001. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053720">https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053720</a> Islam, Shahid Ul, Zheng Zhang, Cunyi Zhao, Nicharee Wisuthiphaet, Nitin Nitin, and Gang Sun. "Design and Development of Robust, Daylight-Activated, and     Rechargeable Biocidal Polymeric Films as Promising Active Food Packaging Materials." ACS applied bio materials. 2023, 6, 6, 2459–2467. Jo, J. & Park, H. (2023, Accepted and in press). Machine Embroidery Enclosure for Stretchable Fiber Optic Respiration Sensor. Advanced Sensor Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/adsr.202300017 Jo, J. Sokolowski, S., McQuerry, M., Griffin, L., & Park, H. (2022). Firefighters’ Feet:      Difference by Sex and Weight Bearing, Applied Ergonomics (Impact factor: 3.661). DOI:     <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103753">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103753</a> Jo, J., Xu, A., Mishra, A. K., Bai, H., Derkovorkian, A., Rabinovitch, J., Park, H., &      Shepherd, R. (2022), Measurement of Parachute Canopy Textile Deformation Using      Mechanically Invisible Stretchable Lightguides, Advanced Materials Technologies, 7(12),      (Impact factor: 8.856). DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202200437">https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202200437</a> Lin, S., Boorady, L. M., & Pate, S.S. (2022). "The Current and Future Use of RFID by Apparel Retailers," SSRG International Journal of Polymer and Textile Engineering, 9(3), 1-5. <a href="https://doi.org/10.14445/23942592/IJPTE-V9I3P101">https://doi.org/10.14445/23942592/IJPTE-V9I3P101</a>. Lin, S., Boorady, L., & Kang, J. (2022). Experiencing body scan and computer simulation virtual fitting. International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology. 10 (7), 21-29. <a href="https://doi.org/10.14445/22312803/IJCTT-V70I7P105">https://doi.org/10.14445/22312803/IJCTT-V70I7P105</a>. Liu, W., Liu, H., Zhao, Z., Liang, D., Zhong, W. H., & Zhang, J. (2023). A novel structural design of cellulose-based conductive composite fibers for wearable e-textiles. Carbohydrate Polymers, 321, 121308. Liu, X., Wu, Y., & Wu, H. (2022). Machine Learning Enabled 3D Body Measurement Estimation Using Hybrid Feature Selection and Bayesian Search. Applied Sciences. Luczak, T., Saucier, D., Chander, H., Tang, Y., Freeman, C., Lamberth, J., ... & Tian, L. (2023, March). The Opportunity to Collect Kinetic Forces During a Round of Golf Using Wearable Devices: Single-Subject Case Study–The Full Swings. In 2023 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW) (pp. 249-253). IEEE. Ma, Yue, Cheng Huang, Zheng Zhang, Linlin Xiao, Qingli Dong, and Gang Sun Controlled Surface Radical Graft Polymerization of N-Halamine Monomers on Polyester Fabrics and Potential Application in Bioprotective Medical Scrubs, ACS Applied Polymer Materials 4, no. 9 (2022): 6760-6769. Ma, Yue, Muhammad Zohaib Aslam, Mengjie Wu, Nitin Nitin, and Gang Sun. "Strategies and Perspectives of Developing Anti-biofilm Materials for Improved Food Safety." Food Research International (2022): V159, 111543.  Maher, M., Goodge, K., DuPuis, J., Frey, M., Park, H, & Baytar, F. (2023). Cloth Face Mask Fit and Function for Children Part Three: Facemask sizing and fit [Accepted to be published in Fashion and Textiles] Mamun, A. A., Bormon, K. K., Rasu, M. N. S., Talukder, A., Freeman, C., Burch, R. F., & Chander, H. (2022). An Assessment of Energy and Groundwater Consumption of Textile Dyeing Mills in Bangladesh and Minimize Environmental Impacts via Long-term KPI Baseline. Textiles, 2(4), 511-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/textiles2040029. Mandal, S*., Song, G., Zeng, H., Agnew, R. J., Chowdhury, I. Z., Boorady, L. M. (2023). Polymer Nanofibers. Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1002/0471440264.pst689 McQuerry, M. & Dodson, A. (in revision). An antimicrobial zinc ion fiber for COVID-19 prevention in nonwoven face coverings for healthcare settings. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. (20 pages). McQuerry, M. & Grzywacz, J.G. (2023). Thermal comfort assessment of active cooling technology for agricultural end use: a field study. Journal of Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology, 9(1), 14-19, DOI: 10.15406/jteft.2023.09.00327 McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C. (2023). Personal protective clothing inequities for female structural and wildland firefighters. Fire Engineering PPE Supplement. 16-17. McQuerry, M. & Schofield, S. (in revision). United States structural firefighter personal protective clothing user needs: a mobility perspective. Emergency Management Science and Technology. (16 pages). McQuerry, M., Kwon, C., & Poley-Bogan, M. (2023). Female firefighters’ increased risk of occupational exposure due to ill-fitting personal protective clothing. Frontiers in Materials Polymeric and Composite Materials; Special Issue: Challenges and Emerging Issues on Firefighter’s Toxic Chemical Exposure: Smoke Chemicals, Contaminated PPE, and Off-gassing. 10, 1-10, DOI: 10.3389/fmats.2023.1175559 (Impact: 3.985) Mitchell, J., Agnew, J. R., Hwang, J., Larson, P., Mandal, S*. (accepted 2023). Preliminary analyses of accumulation of carcinogenic contaminants in retired turnout gear. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Hygiene. Nasrin, S., Mandal, S.*, Islam, M., Petrova. A., Agnew, R. J., Boorady, L. M. (2023). Factors affecting the sweat drying performance of active sportswear - a review. Textiles, 3(3), 319-338. Parker, E., Middleton, C., Luczak, T., Freeman, C., Ball, J., Burch, R., Chander, H., & Jones, B. “A Hand Wearable IMU Sensor Mount” Disclosure Filed – Filing date 04/2023. Psikuta, A., Sherif, F., Mert, E., Mandal, S*., Annaheim, S. (2023). Clothing air gaps in various postures at firefighters' work. International Journal of Biometeorolgy, 67(1), 121-131. Riedy, R. & McQuerry, M. (2023). Thermal comfort analysis of auto-racing suits using a sweating thermal manikin. Journal of Industrial Textiles, 53, 1-16, DOI: 10.1177/15280837221150649 (Impact 2.926) Riedy, R., Maya, I., & McQuerry, M. (in revision). Analysis of physiological effects of compression gear on American college and pro-level football athletes. AATCC Journal of Research. (23 pages). Shahid Ul Islam, Gang Sun, Biological Chemicals as Sustainable Materials to Synthesize Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for Textile Surface Functionalization, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering. 2022, 10, 31,10084–10104. Sokolowski, S., Griffin, L., Wu, Y., McKinney, E., Morris, K. & Bettencourt, C. (2022). Examination of Current U.S. Female Firefighting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Sizing and Fitting Process Challenges: An Opportunity to Improve Safety. Fashion & Textiles. Sokolowski, S., Griffin, L., Wu, Y., McKinney, E., Morris, K., & Bettencourt, C. (2023). Examination of current U.S. female firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) sizing and fitting process challenges: An opportunity to improve safety. Fashion and Textiles. 9(40). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00314-8">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00314-8</a> Sokolowski, S., Park, H., Griffin, L, McQuerry, M, & Tuttle, J. (2022). Visual, Volumetric and      Anthropometric Measurement Comparisons Between Boot Interior and 3D Foot Scans to    Improve Firefighter Safety. Interdisciplinary Practice in Industrial Design. 48, 91-99. Strawderman, L., Jose, B., Burch, R. F., Warren, S., Taylor, C., Ball, J., Freeman, F., & Chander, H. (2022). The applicability of existing acceptance models for enterprise organizational technology acceptance of wearables. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 92, 103381. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2022.103381">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2022.103381</a> Talukder, A., Derby, H., Freeman, C., Burch, R., Knight, A., & Chander, H. (2022). Sensory and Tactile Comfort Assessment of Sub-Clinical and Clinical Compression Socks on Individuals with Ankle Instability. Textiles, 2(2), 307-317. Tang, Peixin, Bolin Ji, and Gang Sun. "Stabilization of Flavin Mononucleotide by Capturing Its “Tail” with Porous Organic Polymers for Long-Term Photocatalytic Degradation of Micropollutants." Journal of Hazardous Materials (2022): 435. 128982. Tang, Peixin, Sasha Eckstein, Bolin Ji, Bofeng Pan, and Gang Sun. " Hierarchical porous nanofibrous aerogels with wide-distributed pore sizes for instantaneous organophosphorus pesticides decontamination-and-fluorescence sensing" Chemical Engineering Journal (2022),  V456, 138183.                        Thompson, M., Burch, R., Ball, J., Luczak, T., Freeman, C., Saucier, D., & Chander, H. “Mobile Markerless Motion Capture for Movement Data Collection in all Environments” Disclosure Filed – Filing date 02/2023. White, S. A., Zhang, X., Campbell, Y. L., Smith, S. W., Phillips, T. W., Freeman, C., & Schilling, M. W. (2023). Effectiveness of nets treated with food-grade coatings following various drying methods for controlling mite growth on dry-cured hams. Journal of Stored Products Research, 100, 102065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2022.102065 White, S., Zhang, X., Campbell, Y., Smith, S., Phillips, T., Freeman, C., & Schilling, W. (2023). Uses and commercialization of food-grade coated ham nets: A Review. Textile Research Journal. In Press. Xu, X., McQuerry, M., Poley-Bogan, M., Rioux, T., Gonzalez, J., & Hoyt, R. (2023). Thermal properties of three cold weather ensembles and an unpowered heated base layer ensemble. U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) Technical Report T23-004 https://discover.dtic.mil/ Yang, J., Wang, F., Song, G., Li, R., & Raj, U. (2022)/ Effects of clothing size and air ventilation rate on cooling performance of air ventilation clothing in a warm condition. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 28(1),354-363. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2020.1762316">https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2020.1762316</a> Yang, J., Wang, F., White, M. D., Li, R., Song, G., Etter, C. V., & Perrotta, A.S. (2022). A 7-segment numerical hand-glove/mitten model for predicting thermophysiological responses of the human hand in extremely cold conditions. Computers in Biology and Medicine, 151, 106351. Yu, M., Griffin, L., Arnold, S., & Durfee, W. (Accepted, Under Revision) Part 1: Development of new facial landmarks and anthropometry to aid in mask fit prediction. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. Yu, M., Griffin, L., Arnold, S., & Durfee, W. (Accepted, Under Revision) Part 2: Mask Fit Prediction. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. Yu, Xingjian, Bofeng Pan, Cunyi Zhao, Diedra Shorty, Lucas N. Solano, Gang Sun, Ruiwu Liu, and Kit S. Lam. "Discovery of Peptidic Ligands against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Their Use in the Development of a Highly Sensitive Personal Use Colorimetric COVID-19 Biosensor." ACS sensors. 2023, 8, 6, 2159–2168. Zhang, R., Fang, R., Fang, C., Homayoun, H., Goncu Berk, G. (2023, October). Privee: A Wearable for Real-Time Bladder Monitoring System.  2023 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing & the 2023 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computing, Cancun-Mexico. Zhao, Cunyi, Bofeng Pan, Minyuan Wang, Yang Si, Ameer Y. Taha, Gangyu Liu, Tingrui Pan, and Gang Sun. "Improving the Sensitivity of Nanofibrous Membrane-Based ELISA for On-Site Antibiotics Detection." ACS sensors (2022). 2022, 7, 5, 1458–1466. Zong, W., Elangovan, T., McQuerry, M., Poley-Bogan, M., Simonson, N., Park, H. (in revision). Survival jacket design for homeless. Clothing and Textile Research Journal. (30 pages)   Scientific and Outreach Presentations Akter, H., Goncu-Berk, G. (2022). Vision Inclusive Clothing Design: A Study on Perception of Clothing by Visually Impaired People, International Textile and Apparel Association 2022 Annual Conference, Denver: CO. Alam, M., & Xiang, C. (2023). Development of a Colorimetric Nanofiber Sensor for Selective Detection of Organophosphate Pesticides. AATCC 2023 Textile Discovery Summit, Greenville, SC, USA, Sep 12-14. Baytar, F., Maher, M. & Galada, A. (2022). Evaluating Fit by Using Animated Body Scan Avatars and Digital Coveralls. 3DBODY.TECH Conference & Expo. [Online presentation]. Lugano, Switzerland. Baytar, F., Maher, M., Galada, A. & Yang, Y.  (2023). Scan avatar rigging challenges and their effects on clothing simulation. The International Conference Clothing-Body Interaction 2023. Campbell, L. F., Delp, K., & Baytar, F. (2022). Flat Patterns from Curved Bodies. Bridges Conference (July 27-31) <a href="https://www.bridgesmathart.org/">https://www.bridgesmathart.org/</a> Chowdhury, I. Z., Mandal, S., Agnew, R. J., Petrova, A., Boorady, L. M., & Tushar, S. I. Investigating the Effects of Air Gap on Thermal Protective Performance of Protective Textiles under Different Heat Exposure. 2023 ITAA Annual Conference, Maryland, USA, November 8- 11, 2023. Ferguson, B., Goncu-Berk, G., Young, J., Mishra, T. (2023). S.O.S. Design Manifesto, 9th Congress of the International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR 2023), Hong Kong. (Reviewed Workshop). Freeman, C., Talkuder, A., Black, C., Burch, R., Strawderman, L., & Chander, H. (2022). “Quantifying fabric mask effectiveness to improve public health messaging.” Paper presented at American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV. Freeman, C., Talkuder, A., Black, C., Burch, R., Strawderman, L., & Chander, H. (2022). “Biomechanical, physiological, and subjective perception assessment of personal flotation devices (PFD).” Paper presented at American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV. Goncu-Berk, G. (2022). 3D Printing of Flexible Conductive Filaments for Electronic Textile Applications. 8th International Conference on Intelligent Textiles and Mass Customization, Ontario: Canada. Goncu-Berk, G. (2022). From Soft Robotics to Designing Inflatable Wearable Products: A Hands-on Teaching Module for Online Studio Classes, International Textile and Apparel Association 2022 Annual Conference, Denver: CO. Goncu-Berk, G. (2023). CalmWear: A Smart Tactile Sensory Stimulation Clothing, 21st Turkish Neuroscience Conference, Virtual. Goncu-Berk, G. (2023). Future of Wearables: E-textiles and Smart Clothing, Royal College of Art, Textiles Department, London: UK. Goncu-Berk, G. (2023). Technology meets Fashion: Smart Textiles and Clothing, Costume Culture Association Annual Conference, Korea. Goncu-Berk, G. (2023). When Garments to more than Fashion: Wearables for Health and Wellbeing, COEH Builds Bridges: Algorithm based Work, Wearables & Surveillance, UC Davis Health Campus. Goncu-Berk, G., DeLong M. (2022).  Post Pandemic Accessible Pedagogy: The Case for Collaborative Online Class Resources for Trend Research and Forecasting. International Textile and Apparel Association 2022 Annual Conference, Denver: CO. Grace, G., Islam, M.M., Mandal, S., Limbaugh, D., Evaluating physical properties of textiles to use for digital textile assets in design. 2023 ITAA Annual Conference, Maryland, USA, November 8-11, 2023. Graciano, C. & Wu, Y. (2022). Undergraduate Research Award from the Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States. Graciano, C. & Wu, Y. (2022, November). Protecting Women Who Protect Us: Designing Female-Specific Firefighting Personal Protective Turnout Coat & Pants. International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference. Denver, CO. October (2022 ITAA Paper of Distinction Award in the Undergraduate Research Track). Islam, M., Mandal, S., Chowdhury, I. Z., Agnew, R. J., Petrova, A., Schnitzler, E., Boorady, L. M., Studies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure to wildland firefighters’ protective clothing. Institute of Textile Science Symposium 2023, Edmonton, Canada, March 7-8, 2023. Islam, M.M., Mandal, S., Schnitzler, E., Habeeb, A.M., Agnew, R. J., Petrova, A., Boorady, L. M., Studies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure to wildland firefighters’ protective clothing. 2023 ITAA Annual Conference, Maryland, USA, November 8-11, 2023. Jo, J., & Park, H. (2022). Machine Embroidery Enclosure for Stretchable Fiber Optic Respiration       Sensor. 2022 Annual Conference of ITAA (International Textile and Apparel Association), Denver, CO. Jo, J., & Park, H. (2022). Machine Embroidery Enclosure for Stretchable Fiber Optic Respiration      Sensor. 2022 Annual Conference of ITAA (International Textile and Apparel Association), Denver, CO. LaPier, J., Blum, A., Brown, B., Kwiatkowski, C., Ray, H., Philips, B., and Sun, G. (2022) Evaluating the Performance of PFAS Finishes on Upholstery Fabrics, AATCC Textile Discovery Summit, Charlotte, NC, October 4-6, 2022. Li, R., Joshi, A., Xiang, C., & Song, G. (2022). Achieving high-performance protective gloves: effects of glove area factor and microclimate properties.  ACS WRM 2022, Las Vegas, NV, Oct 20-22. Li, R., Wu, Y., & Song, G. (2023). Firefighter Turnout Gloves: Holistic Evaluation of Protection, Comfort, and Dexterity. AATCC 2023 Textile Discovery Summit, Greenville, SC, USA, Sep 12-14. Lin, A., & Park, H. (2023). A Modular Framework for Smart Garment Design. 2023 Annual Conference of ITAA (International Textile and Apparel Association), Baltimore, MD. Luczak, T., Jackson, K., Neff, M., Freeman, F., Burch, R. F., Barlow, J., Chen, J., Lamberth, J., Chander, H., Ball, J., Nelsen, P., Parker, E., Middleton, C., Duclos, M., Taquino, M., & Grice, S. (2022). “The opportunity to collect kinetic forces during a round of golf using wearable devices: Single-person pilot study.” Paper presented at World Scientific Congress of Golf, Sioux Falls, SD. Maher, M., Goodge, K., Du Puis, J. L., Frey, M., Park, H., & Baytar, F. (2022). Cloth Face Mask     Fit and Function for Children: Sizing and Fit Analysis. 2022 Annual Conference of ITAA     (International Textile and Apparel Association), Denver, CO (Best paper award) Mandal, S., Chowdhury, I. Z., Agnew, R. J., Boorady, L. M., Petrova, A. (2023). Characterization of flame protective performance of textile fabrics used in firefighters’ bunker gear under different extreme fire environments. AUTEX 2023 International Conference, Melbourne, Australia, June 26-28. Mandal, S., Chowdhury, I. Z., Boorady, L. M., Agnew, R. J. (2023). Analysis of sweat moisture drying performance of fabrics used in workers’ protective clothing. AATCC Textile Discovery Summit, South Carolina, USA, September 12-14. Mandal, S., Nasrin, S., Islam, M., Petrova, A., Boorady, L. M., Agnew, R. J. (2023). Investigating the effect of structural properties on sweat drying performance in sportswear fabrics. AATCC Textile Discovery Summit, South Carolina, USA, September 12-14. Mazumder, S., Mandal, S. (2022) Characterizing the tensile strength of the fabric materials used in firefighters' protective clothing under radiant heat exposure. AATCC Virtual Showcase on Protective Textiles. November 8. McQuerry, M & Easter, E. (November 2022). Wildland firefighting personal protective clothing cleaning practices in the United States. 4th Global Summit on Future Materials Science and Research. Las Vegas, NV (virtual). McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C. (2022). Investigation of design, comfort, and mobility issues for female firefighter personal protective clothing. National Fire Protection Association, Fire Protection Research Foundation, Technical Panel. (presented virtually). McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C. (2022). The future of women’s gear: a comparison of NFPA 1971 and 1977 sizing standards to U.S. female firefighter anthropometrics. National Fire Protection Association, Fire Protection Research Foundation, 2022 Webinar Series. (virtual webinar). McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C. (2023). Women in the fire service and the female PPE study. International Association of Fire Fighters Redmond Health and Safety Symposium. New York City, New York. August 23. McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C. (March 2023). Outfitting Female Firefighters: Why female specific personal protective clothing is important for the fire service. 8th Biennial Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (FIERO) PPE Symposium. Greenville, SC. McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C. (May 2023). Evaluating female firefighter anthropometrics for improved mobility and design in personal protective clothing for the United States fire service. 10th European Conference on Protective Clothing (ECPC). Arnhem, the Netherlands. McQuerry, M. (2022). Equitable Sizing Standards for Female Firefighter PPE. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), Equitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Protections Workshop. Invited Presenter/Panelist, (virtual). Nazmy, H., Hebert, P. R., Mandal, S., & Agnew, R. Considering textiles flammability tests in interior design education [Poster Presentation]. Environment and Health: Global/Local Challenges and Actions. Environmental Design Research Association 54th Annual Conference, Mexico City, Mexico, June 20-23, 2023. Purandare, S., Xiang, C., Li, R., & Song, G. (2022). ε-Poly-L-lysine/polyamide nanocomposite membrane for respiratory protective devices. ACS WRM 2022, Las Vegas, NV, Oct 20-22. Riedy, R. & McQuerry, M. (October 2022). Analyzing the heat loss of motorsports racing suits. International Textile and Apparel Association Conference. Denver, CO. Song, G, & Li, R. (2022). A convergent multidisciplinary approach for cold weather protection. ACS WRM 2022, Las Vegas, NV, Oct 20-22. Song, G., Wu, Y., & Li, R. (2023). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Simulation for standardized PPE contamination using a cone calorimeter. 10th European Conference on Protective Clothing, Arnhem, Netherlands, May 9-12. Sun, G. (2022). Development of Antibacterial and Antiviral Fibrous Materials for Improved Personal Protection, ACS WRM (NC-170), Las Vegas, NV, October 21. Sun, G. (2022). Development of Antibacterial and Antiviral Textiles, IFAI Expo Functional Textile Symposium, Charlotte, NC. October 12, 2022 Sun, G. (2022). Developments of Textile Materials with Novel Biocidal and Chemical Detoxification Functions for Improved Personal Protection, Ulpas 11th Conference, Gebze Technical University, November 4, Turkey. Sun, G. (2022). Polymeric Fibers with Novel Antibacterial and Antiviral Functions, Golden Gate Polymer Forum, California, USA. July 19. Sun, G. (2022). Progresses in Sustainable and Eco-friendly Textiles, 2022 International Conference on Frontier Textile Research and Technologies, Donghua University, December 1-4. Shanghai China Sun, G. (2023). Developments of Functional Materials for Improved Personal Protection and Safety, Empa, St Gallen, Switzerland, May 25. Sun, G. (2023). Photo-Active Vitamins as Biocidal Agents for Improved Personal Protections, University of Auckland, New Zealand, March 13. Sun, G. (2023). Reusable and Rechargeable Biocidal Fibrous Materials for Improved Medical Protection, 38th International Conference of Plastic Processing Society, St Gallen, Switzerland, May 22-25. Talukder, A., Freeman, C., Chander, H., Burch, R., & Saucier, D. (2023). “Biological, physiological, and subjective perception assessment of personal flotation devices.” Poster presented at Mississippi Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, Biloxi, MS. Tang, P. & Sun, G. (2022). Super Sorptive and Super Active Cotton Fabrics for Biological and Chemical Protections, AATCC Textile Discovery Summit, Charlotte, NC, October 4-6, 2022. Tushar, S. I., Mandal, S*., Chowdhury, I. Z., & Boorady, L. M. Developing a State-of-the-art Textile Laboratory: Utilizing the Maximum Space with Flexible Configuration. 2023 ITAA Annual Conference, Maryland, USA, November 8-11, 2023. Ul Islam, S., Zhang, Z., Sun, G. (2023). Reusable and Daylight Induced Antibacterial Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer Films, ACS 2023 Spring Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, USA, March 26-30. Wang, L., Zou, J., Sun, G. (2023). Development of Green, Reusable, and Self-Cleanable “ICE” Cubes to Reduce Temperature Abuse in Cold Chain, USDA A1364 Novel foods and Innovative Manufacturing Technologies, June 5-7, 2023. Wu, Y., Li, R., & Song, G. (2023). Investigation of the Reliability of a Smoke Generation System: A Preliminary Study. AATCC 2023 Textile Discovery Summit, Greenville, SC, USA, Sep 12-14. Yilmaz, C., Goncu-Berk, G. (2022). Resistance Intravehicular Activity Clothing for Microgravity, International Textile and Apparel Association 2022 Annual Conference, Denver: CO. Zhang, M., Li, R., & Song, G. (2023). A 2D Image-Based Anthropometric Measurements of Human Hands. AATCC 2023 Textile Discovery Summit, Greenville, SC, USA, Sep 12-14. Zhang, R., Fang, R., Fang, C., Homayoun, H., Goncu Berk, G. (2023). Privee: A Wearable for Real-Time Bladder Monitoring System. In Adjunct Proceedings of the 2023 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing & the 2023 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computing (pp. 291-295). Zhang, Z. & Sun, G. (2022) Vitamins suitable for preparation of daylight induced antibacterial and antiviral nanofibers and textiles, Fiber Society Fall Meeting, Raleigh, NC, October 19-21. Zhao, C. & Sun, G. (2022). Structural Features of Nanofibrous Membranes on Developments of Personal Use Biosensors, ACS Fall meeting, Chicago, August, 2022 Zong, W., Elangovan, T., McQuerry, M., Poley-Bogan M., Simonson, N., & Park, H. (October 2022). Recycled tent converted to a survival jacket for homeless people. International Textile and Apparel Association Conference. Denver, CO.   Funds Leveraged   Baytar, F. (PI). Development of protective coveralls for female farmworkers to use before, during, and after pregnancy, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Amount Funded: $90,000, Period: October 2022 – September 2025.   Burch, R., Ball, J., Gurbuz, A., Strawderman, L., Knight, A., Smith, B., Wang, J., Burch, R., Hill, E., & Freeman, C. “MSU iCORPS Hub” Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Federal, $140,001. Awarded, Contracted. (1/1/24 – 6/30/25).   Frey, M. (PI). (2023). Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future fast grant $10,000.   Goodge, K. (PI) (2023). AATCC dissertation research grant, $4000.   Griffin, L. (2022-2023) 3D Anthropometric Head Assessment and Respirator Design for Occupational Workers in the United States (MAES)   Griffin, L. (2022-2023) Kusske Design Initiative, Co-Principal: Linsey Griffin. Interdisciplinary design for PPE Development.   Griffin, L. (2023) U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Enhancing Firefighter Glove Fit and Performance: Design and Implementation of a Comprehensive Sizing and Analysis Tool Utilizing AI Aided Hand Measurements and Anthropometric Data.   Griffin, L. (2023) UMN-Toyota: Dynamic Hand 3D Anthropometry & Analysis   Jordan, J., Gelston, K., Bounds, C., McCall, T., Hill, E., & Freeman, C. “Regional Engines Developmental Program: SmartTech MS – Regional Manufacturing Automation and Industry 4.0.” Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Federal, $1,000,000. Awarded, Contracted. (05/23 – 06/24).   Kundu, S., Freeman, C., & Elmore, B. “Enhancing and Validating the Performance of Bio-Based Polymers.” Sponsored by Mississippi Research Council, State, $87,400. Awarded, Contracted. (1/1/23 – 12/31/24).   Luczak, T., Burch, R., Ball, J., Chander, H., Freeman, C., Saucier, D. “The Smart Health Sock App: Improving Fall Detection to Reduce Injuries.” Sponsored by Mississippi Research Council, State, $87,400. Awarded, Contracted. (1/1/23 – 12/31/24).   Lui, H. (2022). CAREER: Processing Intrinsically Conductive Polymers for Fibers vis Side-by-Side Spinning”, National Science Federation, Funding Period: 3/2022 – 2/2027   Mandal, S. (2023). Article Processing Charge (APC) for publications MDPI Publisher, Switzerland. $900 (In-Kind). Mandal, S. (2023). Funding Application to Purchase and Equipment for Evaluating the Rain Protective Performance of Textile Fabrics – Rain Shower Tester (RST) College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) Resources, Equipment, Software and Technology (REST) Program $19,475.   Mandal, S. (2023). Funding Application to Purchase Knitting Machine OSU College of Human Sciences Technology Seed Funding. $44,663.   Mandal, S. (Co-PI) (2023). Investigating the Effects of Moisture and Airgap on Thermal Protective Performance of Protective Textiles under Different Heat Exposure AATCC Student Research Grant. $500   Mandal, S. (P.I.), Park., J. (Co-PI). (2023). “Farm-to-closet” sourcing from farmers to retailers: The role of cotton in the sustainable fashion movement. Cotton Incorporated Curriculum Grant, USA, $33,908.00.   Mandal, S.& Chowdhury, I. (2023). Presenting the Research work on Fire Textiles in India Don and Cathey Humphreys Travel Grant. $5,000.   Mandal, S.& Nasrin, S. (2023). Presenting the Research Work on Sportswear in India Don and Cathey Humphreys Travel Grant. $5,000.   McQuerry, M. (2022-2023). Dynamic Heat Flux Analysis of Heated Garments for Warfighters under Arctic Conditions. U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM). ($61,500).   McQuerry, M. (2023). Physiological Performance Analysis of Heated Garments for Warfighters under Arctic Conditions. Congressionally Directed Funding (Army). ($180,890).   McQuerry, M. (PI) & Kwon, C. (Co-PI). (9/20/20123-9/19/2026). Development of Novel Personal Protective Clothing Designs for Structural and Wildland Female Firefighters. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FY 2022 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. ($1,539,374).   Mohammadi-Aragh, J., Seitz, H., Panse-Barone, C., Gillen, Z., Freeman, C., McCubbins, O.P. “Acquisition of Biomechanical Movement and Body Volumetric Baselining Technology Suite for Motion Capture Improvement and Sensor-based Validation of Lower Body Characteristics.” Sponsored by National Science Foundation, Federal, $770,000. Awarded, Contracted. (8/1/22 – 7/31/23).   Park, H. (PI). Smart Firegear Development Research with STEM Education Outreach Component for 4H groups PI: Park, H, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Amount Funded: $156,966, Period: October 2022 – September 2025   Poley-Bogan, M.* (PI). & McQuerry, M. (Co-PI). (2023). Analysis of thermal comfort cooling mechanisms to combat heat stress in the construction industry. AATCC Student Research Foundation Grant Program. Faculty Advisor ($550).   Shaw, A. (2022-2023). NC-170 funds were leveraged to support the operator safety initiative coordinated by the International Center for PPE for Pesticide Operators (ICPPE), University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.   Xiang, C. (2022). Iowa Board of Regents, Regents Innovation Fund, Development of hand-specific thermoregulation model and systematic tool for PPE design and evaluation.   Xiang, C. (2022). U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency                          Management Agency (FEMA), Developing a systematic tool for contaminant protection and reducing exposure to contaminated PPE.   Xiang, C. (2023). 2023 National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health U01, A systematic approach to enhance extremity protection in Alaska fishing industry.   Xiang, C. (2023). Iowa Board of Regents, Innovation Acceleration Fund, Project NanoShield:   Advanced Material and Treatment Solutions for Fine Particle Exposure.   Xiang, C. (2023). U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Enhancing Firefighter Glove Fit and Performance: Design and Implementation of a Comprehensive Sizing and Analysis Tool Utilizing AI Aided Hand Measurements and Anthropometric Data.   California Continuously funded by USDA-NIFA (August, 2018-April, 2023) for colorimetric sensors for antibiotics in foods.   Continuously funded in 2020-2023 by “An Integrated Approach to Eliminate Cross-Contamination during Washing, Conveying, Handling and Packaging of Fresh Produce” May, 2015-April, 2023.   Continuously funded by USDA-NIFA (June, 2020-May, 2023) for development of reusable and green ice cubes.   Continuously funded by USDA-NIFA (May, 2020-April, 2023) for development of antimicrobial waxing agents for fruits and vegetables.   Funded by Center for Produce Safety (January 2021-December 2022) Bio-based antimicrobial coatings for reducing risk of cross-contamination during harvesting   Funded By CDC/NIOSH through Iowa State University (September 2021-August 2024) Biodegradable, reusable and antiviral facemask materials   Funded by UC Davis, Academic Senate, Collaborative Large Interdisciplinary Grant (July 2023-September 2024 for development of e-textile based bioimpedance spectroscopy system.

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 12/05/2024

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 10/05/2024 - 10/06/2024
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2023 - 09/30/2024

Participants

Sumit Madel, Fatma Bayter (Cornell University), Dawn Michaelson (Auburn University), Emiel Den Hartog (North Carolina State University), Fatma Bayter (Cornell University), Gang Sun (University of California-Davis), Hang Liu (Washington State University), Leslie Browning-Samoni (Texas Christian University), Lynn Boorady (Oklahoma State University), Shu Hwa Lin (University of Hawai’i at Manoa), Sumit Mandal (Oklahoma State University), Yingying Wu (Kansas State University)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Chair: Sumit Mandel

Chair Elect: Fatma Bayter

Secretary: Dawn Michaelson

Attendees: Emiel Den Hartog (North Carolina State University), Fatma Bayter (Cornell University), Gang Sun (University of California-Davis), Hang Liu (Washington State University), Leslie Browning-Samoni (Texas Christian University), Lynn Boorady (Oklahoma State University), Shu Hwa Lin (University of Hawai’i at Manoa), Sumit Mandal (Oklahoma State University), Yingying Wu (Kansas State University)

The annual meeting was held on October 6, 2024, at 1 p.m., on the first day of AATCC’s 2024 Textile Summit Discovery Summit in Savannah, Georgia.

Items Discussed at Annual Meeting

1. 2025 Annual Meeting

AATCC has stated that they will not charge us to attend next year, and they should know not long after the close of the 2024 Textile Discovery Summit where the AATCC conference will be held in 2025. Philadelphia and Savannah were named as two possibilities. They are trying to increase academic and student attendance and student applications for awards.

Emiel said that he has been asked to chair the International Thermal Manikins and Modeling Meeting (I3M) which he expects will be held on the NC State campus in 2025. This was offered as an alternative to AATCC that might interest NC170 members.

2. Discussion on website.

· New members need to be added to our website.

3. Officer Elections for 2025:

Chair: Fatma Baytar (She may be on sabbatical after May 2025)

Chair Elect: Han Liu

Secretary: Leslie Browning-Samoni

4. NC-170 Presentations at AATCC Textile Discover Summit 2025 Summary

The NC-170 oral presentation session topics and authors are included on the next page.

There were 31 people in the audience, including NC170 members.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:45 pm

Accomplishments

Accomplishment Summaries  Objective 1 California Develop novel functionality and applications of materials for PPE and health/safety solutions: <ol> <li>research novel materials and technologies that can provide desired functions;</li> <li>research novel textile-integrated sensing techniques</li> <li>evaluate the performance of the materials for personal protective applications</li> </ol> CA continued development of biodegradable photo-active biocidal films, nonwoven fabrics and nanofibrous membranes for various applications including facemasks and food packaging materials that can provide surface self-disinfecting functions; CA has developed colorimetric foam-based ELISA sensors for bacteria and toxicants for protection of human and environmental health. In addition, the team has developed detoxifying sensing materials for fumigants and chemicals. Oklahoma Partially developed TASL at OSU to evaluate the protective and comfort performance of fabrics. Washington We have developed 3D printed sensors for motion detection and strain sensing. The printed fabrics have great potential in smart wearable products Objective 2 Alabama Redesigned PPE agricultural pesticide sprayer jacket with a removable hood based on updated body shape data. Florida All projects met objective two to assess and improve the performance of PPE and protective clothing for first responders, healthcare workers, and tactical athletes. Georgia To address the fit issue of firefighter boots, the set of leather and rubber firefighter boots were CT-scanned and their internal morphology was compared to the actual firefighter foot dimensions. Additional 3D wear simulation revealed the area to be optimized for a better fit. To breakthrough the challenges of prototyping wearable PPE systems with rigid plastic breadboards that do not conform to the soft and curved body surface, a soft breadboard was developed using discarded leather scraps. With conductive threads embroidered in the standard breadboard pinhole spacing, the leather-based breadboard demonstrated a flexible and thin alternative that is compatible with conventional prototyping electronics. It will make the development process of the wearable PPE easier and more realistic. Kansas Improving Inclusivity and Fit in PPE for Underserved Populations - K-State conducted anthropometric research to identify the needs of underserved populations, such as female firefighters, and advanced efforts in PPE design and fit inclusivity. The third-generation prototypes for female firefighter turnout gear incorporated ergonomic enhancements and material optimizations, addressing challenges in mobility, comfort, and safety while meeting industry PPE standards. Pioneering Sizing Systems Through Machine Learning - In collaboration with Colorado State University, researchers explored machine learning techniques to predict body dimensions and improve PPE sizing systems. Positive results established a foundation for innovative approaches in creating more inclusive and effective sizing systems, with particular attention to underserved groups such as female and non-standard body types in high-risk occupations. Maryland Under-represented populations often use hand-held methods of application for applying pesticides. A risk assessment and mitigation tool, outcome of the an international collaborative project, was pilot tested in March 2024. The tool allows selection of PPE for mitigating risk based on risk assessment.  ISO 27065 C1 garment is required to provide minimum protection with partial and whole-body C3 PPE for additional protection. PPE partnership project, coordinated in by ICPPE in Kenya, resulted in the developed of the first  ISO 27065 C1 certified garment in that region. The grassroots approach provided an opportunity to engage male and female farmers/operators in the design and development of the certified coverall.  The project on the development of double aprons is ongoing. The second version of the C3 double apron for back protection during knapsack application was evaluated by partners in South Africa and Kenya. ICPPE partnered with Department of Forrest, Fisheries and the Environment in South Africa and BASF in Kenya. The outcome of the project resulted in the design of Version 3 of the double apron. Coverall protypes were tested to assess compliance with ISO 27065 requirements. Additional tests were conducted in partnership with Instituto Agronomico to expand the database for C3 materials, The analysis of the data was used for identification of materials that have the potential of being used for partial and whole body garments. The database continues to be used to support the revision of ISO 27065.

Publications

Published Written Works Books National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Reusable Health Care Textiles for Use in Personal Protective Equipment: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/27762. Book Chapters Gang Sun, (2023). Chapter 3: Current Chemical Finishes and Measurements of Finishing Agents, Analytical Methods for a Textile Laboratory, Edited by Keith R. Beck and James Rodgers, AATCC. p51-70. Referred Journal Articles: Amaly, Noha, Ahmed Y. EL-Moghazy, Gang Sun, Pramod K. Pandey, (2024). A novel scalable polycationic melamine sponge-based filtration matrix for adsorption of anionic pollutants, Chemosphere, Vol 350, 2024, 140977. Begum, S., Hummel, M., Mandal, S., Mahmood, S., Repon, R., Mila&scaron;ius, R. (2024). Thermal degradation and chemical analysis of flame-retardant-treated jute fabrics. Polymers, 16(14), 2049. [Note: Polymers (IF: 4.7) is a peer-reviewed journal of polymer science published semimonthly online by MDPI.] Boisvert, R., McQuerry, M., & Schofield, S. (2024). Relationship between firefighter protective clothing design ease and heat stress. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 36(5), 836-848, DOI:10.1108/IJCST-11-2023-0160 (Impact: 1.2) Bolaji, J. & McQuerry, M. (under review). Impact of self-contained breathing apparatus on air gaps in structural firefighting personal protective clothing. Applied Sciences. Special Issue: Innovative Functional Textiles and Their Applications. (16 pages) Bolaji, J., Qui, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (revision under review). A comparative anthropometric analysis of U.S. female firefighters versus the general female population. Journal of Safety Research. (23 pages) Bolaji, J., Qui, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (under review). U.S. female firefighter anthropometric versus wildland firefighting protective clothing sizing standards. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. (23 pages) Chen, K., Dardaman, S., Siebert, P., McQuerry, M., & Yentes, J. (under review). Female firefighters experience greater limitations from turnout gear when performing firefighting tasks. Safety Science. (38 pages) El-Moghazy, Ahmed Y., Noha Amaly, Nitin Nitin, and Gang Sun. (2023). "A label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on decorated cellulose nanofibrous membrane for point-of-care diagnosis of amanitin poisoning via human urine." Lab on a Chip 23, no. 23 (2023): 5009-5017. Jo, J., & Park, H. (2024). Fit of fire boots: exploring internal morphology using computed tomography. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 30(1), 90-99. Jo, J., & Park, H. T. (2024). Machine Embroidery Enclosure for Stretchable Fiber Optic Respiration Sensor. Advanced Sensor Research, 3(1), 2300017. LaPier, Jonas, Blum, Arlene, Brown, Brandon, R., Kwiatkowski, Carol F., Phillips, Betsy, Ray, Hannah, Sun, Gang. (2023). Evaluating the Performance of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Finishes on Upholstery Fabrics. AATCC Journal of Research. 2023;10(4):205-213. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/24723444231159856">10.1177/24723444231159856</a> McQuerry, M. & Dodson, A. (2024). An antimicrobial zinc ion fiber for COVID-19 prevention in nonwoven face coverings for healthcare settings. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 21(4), 1-8, DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2024.2310675 (Impact: 3.359) Mitchell, J., Hwang, J., Larson, P., Agnew, J. R. Mandal, S. (2024). Preliminary analyses of accumulation of carcinogenic contaminants in retired turnout gear. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Hygiene, 21(4), 213-219. [Note: The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) (IF: 2.00) publishes investigations that enhance the knowledge and practice of occupational and environmental hygiene and safety in the workplace and community] Nandi, S., Chowdhury, I., & Mandal, S. (2024). Nanotechnology in flame retardancy of textiles. In M. Bairagi, S. Ahmed, & W. Ali (Eds.), Nanotechnology in Textile Finishing (pp 271-311). Germany: Springer Nature. Nasrin, S., Mandal, S., Petrova. A., Agnew, R. J., Boorady, L. M. (under proofread). Enhancing drying performance – analyzing fabric parameters in active sportwear. AATCC Journal of Research. [Note: AATCC (IF: 0.8) has been publishing this highly reputed textile journal since 1969.] Pan, Bofeng, Zhao, Cunyi, Norwood, Makela, Wang, Minyuan, Liu, Gang-Yu, Sun, Gang, (2024). Highly Sensitive Naked Eye Detectable Colorimetric Biosensors Made from Macroporous Framework Melamine Foams for Onsite and Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Environmental Hazards in Flowing Through Sensing Systems, Advanced Sensor Research, 3(1), 2300080. Pan, Bofeng, Ahmed Y. El-Moghazy, Makela Norwood, Nitin Nitin, and Gang Sun. (2024). "Rapid and Ultrasensitive Colorimetric Biosensors for Onsite Detection of Escherichia coli O157: H7 in Fluids." ACS sensors (2024) 9, 2, 912-922. Pan, Bofeng, Qiyi He, Xingjian Yu, Dylan De Choch, Kit S. Lam, Bruce D. Hammock, and Gang Sun. (2024). "Versatility and stability of melamine foam-based biosensors (f-ELISA) using antibodies, nanobodies, and peptides as sensing probes." Talanta 279: 126634. Riedy, R.*, Maya, I.**, & McQuerry, M. (2024). Analysis of physiological effects of compression gear on American college and pro-level football athletes. AATCC Journal of Research, 11(6), 433-444, DOI: 10.1177/24723444241276000 Sun, Yufa, Sasha Eckstein, Xinyi Niu, Michael Yermakov, Sergey Grinshpun, Guowen Song, and Gang Sun. (2024). "Biobased Triesters as Plasticizers for Improved Mechanical and Biodegradable Performance of Polylactic Acid Fibrous Membranes as Facemask Materials." ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 12, 20, 7964-7975. Sun, Yufa, and Gang Sun. (2024). "A natural butter glyceride as a plasticizer for improving thermal, mechanical, and biodegradable properties of poly (lactide acid)." International Journal of Biological Macromolecules: 130366. Tang, Peixin, Si, Yang, Song, Xiyu, Sun, Gang, (2024). Hierarchically porous bacterial cellulose nanofibrous membranes for selective adsorption and real-time colorimetric monitoring of volatile carboxylic acids. Cellulose, 31 (1). 381-393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-023-05632-8 Tushar, S. I., Anik, H. R., Uddin, M., Mandal, S., Mohakar, V., Rai, S., Sharma, S. (2024). Nanocellulose-based porous lightweight materials with flame retardant properties: a review. Carbohydrate Polymer, 339(1), 122237. [Note: Carbohydrate Polymer (IF:11.2) is an Elsevier journal devoted to scientific and technological aspects of industrial relevant polysaccharides] Wu, Y., Liu, X., Morris, K., & Wu, H. (2024, January 15). An Exploratory Study of Body Measurement Prediction using Machine Learning and 3D Body Scans. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal. (SSCI. Impact Factor 2024: 2.4). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0887302X241257914">https://doi.org/10.1177/0887302X241257914</a>     Zong, W.*, Elangovan, T.*, McQuerry, M., Poley-Bogan, M.*, Simonson, N.*, Park, H. (under review). Sustainable survival jacket design for the homeless population. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education. (13 pages) Zou, Jiahan, Jody Wong, Chih-Rong Lee, Nitin Nitin, Luxin Wang, and Gang Sun. (2024).  "Protein-Based Rechargeable and Replaceable Antimicrobial and Antifouling Coatings on Hydrophobic Food-Contact Surfaces." ACS Applied Bio Materials. PMCID# PMC10951945. Scientific and Outreach Presentations Al-Mashala, H., & Boorady, L. A Novel Protocol to Characterize the Smoke Particles Interaction with Wildland Firefighters’ Protective Clothing, Firefighters Cancer Research Symposium 2024, Florida, USA, February 22-23, 2024. Bofeng Pan, Ahmed Y. El-Moghazy, Nitin Nitin, and Gang Sun Rapid and Ultrasensitive Colorimetric Biosensors for Onsite Detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Fluids, ACS Fall Meeting, Denver, August, 2024. Bofeng Pan, Cunyi Zhao, and Gang Sun Development of Point-of-Use, Highly Sensitive, and Highly Selective Biosensors: From Nanofibrous Membranes to Fibrous Framework Medium, ICAFPM 2023, Donghua University, Shanghai, October 20-23, 2023 Bolaji, J., Qui, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2024). U.S. female firefighters versus general female population: a comparative study. Body Data Application Forum North America. Stillwater, OK. Bolaji, J., Qui, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (November 2024). A comparative anthropometric analysis of female firefighters versus the general U.S. female population. 2024 International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Long Beach, CA. Chowdhury, I.Z.; Mandal, S.; Petrova, A.; Agnew, R.J; Boorady, L.M.; Denhartog, E.; Analyzing Heat Transfer through Fabrics Used in Firefighters’ Clothing under Different Intensity Flame Exposures, 2024 ITAA Annual Conference, California, USA, Nov. 20-23, 2024. Country Fire Authority (CFA) (2024). Personal Protective Equipment & Clothing Summit. Country Fire Authority. Melbourne, Australia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc9EIds0JuQ Gang Sun Preparation of Photo-Induced Antibacterial Polymers and Fibers By Using Vitamins, Greensboro, NC, Fiber Society Spring Conference, May 22-24, 2024. Gang Sun, Development of Textile Materials with Detoxifying and Sensing Functions for Improved Personal Protections, Philippine National Textile Forum, Manila, Philippines, November 8-9, 2023. Gang Sun, Environmentally Friendly and Human Safe Antibacterial and Antiviral Chemicals for Polymers and Textiles, ICAFPM 2023, Donghua University, Shanghai, October 20-23, 2023 Gang Sun, Environmentally Friendly Functional Fibers and Textiles, International Conference of Sustainability Innovation & Smart Textile Technology（SITT）2024, Shanghai, China, June 14-16, 2024. Gang Sun, Progresses in Sustainable Textile Materials and Environmentally Friendly Dyeing and Functional Finishing, Suzhou, China, November 11-12, 2023. Gang Sun, Sustainable Detoxifying and Sensing Fibrous Materials for Improved Personal Protections, AuxDefense 2024, Braga, Portugal. June 20-22, 2024. Gang Sun, Sustainable Self-Detoxifying and Sensing Fibrous Materials for Improved Personal Protection, Textile International Forum and Exhibition, Taiwan, September 25, 2024 Gang Sun, Vitamin Derivatives as Edible Functional Agents for Fibers and Polymers, Hong Kong Polytech University, Virtual presentation, April 18, 2024. Hang Liu, Wangcheng Liu “Multifunctional Conductive Fibers with A Novel Heterostructure” American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Discovery Summit, October 6-8, Savannah, GA. Jahnke, S., McQuerry, M., & Sellers, B. (2024). Women’s Health and Well-Being in the Fire Service. International Association of Fire Fighters Affiliate Leadership Training Summit. Lake Buena Vista, FL. Jiahan Zou, Luxin Wang and Gang Sun, Sustainable Temperature Controls: A critical step for ensuring food safety and quality, Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Virtual, February 22, 2024. Jiahan Zou, Yucen Xie, Berenice Bacilio Contreras, Luxin Wang, Gang Sun, Performances of Non-meltable, Reusable and Biodegradable Stationery Cooling Media “Jelly Ice,” ACS Fall Meeting, Denver, August 2024. Jiahan Zoua, Huitao Ling, Luxin Wanga, and Gang Sun, Engineering Bio-Based Hydrogel Coolants: Theoretical Modeling and One Scalable Fabrication Method, ACS Fall Meeting, Denver, August 2024. Lin, Y., & Jo, J. (2024, May). LeatherBoard: Sustainable On-body Rapid Prototyping with Leather Scraps and Machine Embroidery. In Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-7). Mandal, S., Tushar, S. I., Nandi, S., Boorady, L. M., Petrova, A., Park, H., & Kubicki M. Characterizing the Thermal Behavior of Contaminated Fabric Used in the Oil and Gas Industry Workers’ Protective Clothing. 2024 ITAA Annual Conference, California, USA, November 20-23, 2024. McQuerry, M. & Easter, E. (2024). Wildland protective clothing cleaning practices in the United States. W3192 National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Multi-State University Annual Meeting. Baton Rouge, LA. McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C. (2024). U.S. women versus women in the U.S. fire service: Are female firefighters anthropometrically different from the general U.S. female population? 2024 Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (FIERO) PPE Symposium. Greenville, SC. McQuerry, M. & Kwon, C., (2024). Development of novel personal protective clothing designs for structural and wildland female firefighters. FEMA FP&S R&D Annual PI Meeting. Emmitsburg, MD. McQuerry, M. (2024). Impact of PPE Design on Heat Stress: Optimizing ease and air gaps in structural firefighting turnout gear. 2024 Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (FIERO) PPE Symposium. Greenville, SC. McQuerry, M., Bolaji, J., Kwon, C., & Qui, Z. (2024). Protective clothing user needs and anthropometrics of wildland female firefighters. W3192 National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Multi-State University Annual Meeting. Baton Rouge, LA. McQuerry, M., Kwon, C., & Lehtonen, K. (2024). Fit for Her: Innovating turnout gear for female firefighters’ safety and performance. Fire Engineering Webcast. (virtual webinar). McQuerry, M., Kwon, C., Bolaji, J., & Qiu, J. (2024). It’s not just the measurements: What we know about gear for women. 2024 Nerdstock Science to the Station. Emmitsburg, MD. Nandi, S., Islam, M. M., Mandal, S., Schnitzler, E., Petrova, A., Agnew, R., Chowdhury, I. Z., Lin, S. (2023). Smart Textile Applications from Market Analysis, Guest organization section, AATCC the Textile Discovery Summit, Sep 12-14, 2023. Greenville, SC. PBS NOVA (10/20/2024). Building Stuff: Reach It! https://www.pbs.org/video/building-stuff-reach-it-0n0hbb/ Peixin Tang and Gang Sun, Development of Hierarchically Porous Cellulose Materials for Improved Detoxification and Sensing of Toxicants, ACS Spring 2024, New Orleans, March 17-21, 2024. Peixin Tang, Gang Sun Self-Detoxifying and Sensing Materials for Improved Personal Protection and Safety, Fiber Society fall Meeting Philadelphia, October 25-28, 2023 Pokharel, A., Rodriguez Armada, D., Bolaji, J., & McQuerry, M. (November 2024). Impact of self-contained breathing apparatus on air gaps in structural firefighting personal protective equipment. 2024 International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Long Beach, CA. Poley-Bogan, M. & McQuerry, M. (10/7/2024). Analysis of thermal comfort cooling mechanisms to combat heat stress in the construction industry. 2024 Textile Discovery Summit, American Association of Textile Chemists & Colorists. Savannah, GA. Poley-Bogan, M. & McQuerry, M. (11/22/2024). Analysis of cooling mechanisms to combat heat stress in the construction industry. 2024 International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Long Beach, CA. Qui, Z., Bolaji, J., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2024). Body data application for workforce PPE. Humanetics Future of Fit, Season 3, Episode 2. (virtual webinar). Tushar, S. I., Mandal, S., Chowdhury, I. Z., Petrova, A., Boorady, L. M., Preston, L., Agnew, R. Characterizing the thermal protective performance of oil and gas extraction workers’ flame-resistant clothing. AATCC Textile Discovery Summit Savannah Georgia, USA, October 6-8, 2024. Wu, Y. (2024, September), Machine Learning Applications in Body Measurements Prediction. Presented to Body Data Application Forum North America: Designing the Future of Human Fit and Functionality.  Department of Design and Merchandising, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK. Yufa Sun, Sasha Eckstein, and Gang Sun, Biobased triesters as plasticizers for improved mechanical and biodegradable performances of polylactic acid fibrous membranes as facemask materials, ACS Fall Meeting, Denver, August, 2024. Yufa Sun, Sasha Eckstein, Gang Sun, Development of Reusable, Biodegradable, and Biocidal Textile Materials, the 2024 International Conference of Eco-Textiles (ICET 2024) Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China, July 26-28, 2024. Zihui Zhao, Hang Liu, “Integrating 3D Printing in the Development of Durable Textile-based Smart Wearables”, International Textiles and Apparel Association Annual Conference, November 20-23, Long Beach, CA.

Impact Statements

Alabama An improved pattern for a PPE agricultural pesticide sprayer jacket with a removable hood was drafted for construction and user feedback. California CA developed biodegradable daylight-induced biocidal fibrous membranes and films for next generation of facemasks and food contact surfaces. The materials are ideal for facemasks with improved personal protection and reduced environmental impact. CA developed foam-based personal use highly sensitive and selective colorimetric sensors for detection of viruses, bacteria, and toxic chemicals. CA collaborated with Iowa State University and others to develop an NIH proposal on virus protective respirators for healthcare workers. Florida Evaluated structural firefighting PPE using a dynamic sweating thermal manikin housed at Florida State University in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab®. Assessed prototype structural firefighter turnout suits for heat stress relief and female firefighter fit and performance. Invited presenter of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine workshop on reusable healthcare PPE. Published work on firefighter PPE air gaps, novel fibers for healthcare masks, and thermal comfort impact of compression gear for professional athletes. Continued FEMA funded study on better fitting PPC for women in the fire service. Georgia The University of Georgia published a paper on 3D fit examinations of firefighter turnout boots and developed an on-body prototyping method for wearable applications to create soft breadboards using discarded leather. Hawaii During and after the pandemic, Hawaii was experiencing the short fall of resourcing materials and protective devices. Our goal was to provide instruction in such a way that all testing and construction could be done at home and Laboratory, allowing students to continue testing and making masks outside of school and opening the door for students and community to teach others. Also, some engineering students are interested in exploring materials for heat protection after the Maui fire. Kansas K-State and Colorado State University Collaboration: K-State collaborated with Colorado State University to explore machine learning techniques for analyzing body dimensions and sizing systems. This effort yielded positive results, establishing a robust foundation for future research on firefighter body shape analysis and the development of machine-learning-enabled body dimension prediction and innovative sizing systems. Female Firefighter PPE Advancements: K-State developed the third iteration of female firefighter turnout coats and pants. The new prototypes feature significant ergonomic enhancements, optimized seam placement, and upgraded thermal liners and moisture barriers, all adhering to industrial PPE standards for fireground use. These advancements improve fit, mobility, and safety for female firefighters. Dr. Yingying Wu was awarded the Excellence in Innovation and Economic Engagement Award by Kansas State University. This award recognized her excellent endeavor in advancing the design and development of female-specific turnout gear. Awarding ceremony on October 18th, 2023. Oklahoma In this year, Oklahoma State University (OK State) mainly focused on improving the facility at our Textile and Apparel Science Laboratory (TASL). The purpose of this laboratory is to analyze the protective and comfort performance of textile materials through bench-/full-scale equipment and modeling. Maryland ISO 27065 C1 certified was developed as an outcome of the project. Washington The development of side-by-side wet-spun conductive fibers has opened up a new technology paradigm to manufacture unspinnable polymers into fibers and 3D printing technologies provide a versatile finishing solution to develop functional fabrics. Various sensors fabricated from the side-by-side conductive fibers and 3D printed fabrics have great potential applications in smart wearables.

Date of Annual Report: 11/12/2025

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/25/2025 - 09/26/2025
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025

Participants

NC-170 2025 Annual Meeting Attendee list:

Lynn Boorady Oklahoma State University
Shu-Hwa Lin University of Hawaii
Farhana Momotaz Mississippi State University
Dawn Michaelson Auburn University
Chunhui Xiang Iowa State
Sumit Mandal Oklahoma State University
Larissa Shepard Cornell University
Yingying Wu Kansas State University
Charles Freeman Texas Christian University
Leslie Browning-Samoni Texas Christian University
Hang Liu Washington State University
Jeyeon Jo University of Georgia
Heeju Park Cornell University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

Accomplishment Summaries  Florida All projects met objective two to assess and improve the performance of PPE and protective clothing for first responders, healthcare workers, and tactical athletes. Georgia Our efforts focus on developing technologies that integrate seamlessly with the human body to track motion, monitor physiological parameters, and assist with heavy-load compensation in occupational and rehabilitation settings. As part of this initiative, our team has developed stretchable fiber optic sensors capable of maintaining high sensitivity and accuracy on the foot pressure even under extreme environmental conditions, such as high humidity and strong electromagnetic interference. Our research on passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensors has led to the development of fully battery-free wearable systems for continuous motion tracking, such as head orientation. In addition to sensor development, we have conducted a thorough review on passive exosuits based on elastic textiles designed to modulate musculoskeletal loads and reduce fatigue among individuals performing physically demanding tasks. Hawaii Continued to presentations to local communities and work on ECG application and improvement for Male and female firefighters. Developing costume and home mask for personal protective equipment improvement and solutions for local community especially preparations any uncertain time. Developing smart textiles applications (integrated technology that can sense, respond, and adapt to users and their environment) to improve health, living environments, and human performance. Kansas The work done by the KS group has been centered on objectives 1 & 2. Specifically, Turning last year’s insights into tangible designs (Objectives 1 & 2). This year, Kansas converted the insights learned in previous year into the third round of designs and physical innovative female‑specific turnout gear prototypes (coat and pants) that directly target known problem areas (mobility at the shoulders/hips, rise/length balance, and thermal comfort). We also completed a systematic literature review and a market landscape scan, creating practical reference packages the team and industry can use to guide design choices and purchasing. Sizing, fit, and inclusivity groundwork (Objective 2: Aims 1–3). With Colorado, Kansas validated a machine‑learning pipeline for analyzing large 3D body‑scan datasets and began comparing firefighter body shapes to the general population to inform sizing systems. We examined body asymmetry and its links to hand dominance and demographics, highlighting why separate pattern blocks and adjustment options are needed for women. These steps prepare us to propose sizing/fit guidelines and refine our prototypes for broader testing. Foundation for smart and advanced PPE, plus broader impact (Objectives 1 & 2). Kansas proposed to visit Oklahoma to use their 4D body scanning and advanced textiles evaluation equipment/expertise to address movement‑related fit and heat stress – key prerequisites for integrating future textile‑based sensing solutions. With support from North Carolina, Kansas developed an NSF proposal in 2025 to acquire funding to support multi‑site testing and evaluation of the female‑specific designs. Additionally, beyond firefighting, Kansas built racing‑suit prototypes and completed a beekeeper‑PPE market scan, expanding our approach to other underserved users where fit, heat, and protection are critical. Mississippi MSU researchers developed a range of innovative, health-focused smart textile systems: A modular adaptive pant system for diabetics with mobility disabilities featuring sustainable materials and an integrated urinalysis system for kidney condition monitoring. A smart T-shirt for para-athletes with spinal cord injuries, utilizing washable fabric-based electrodes to track muscle activity and prevent fatigue-related injuries during adaptive sports. Biodegradable conductive smart textiles for self-charging PPE sensors that enable vital sign and motion monitoring while addressing sustainability challenges in the industry. A Smart Proprioceptive Textile Layer (SPTL) prototype designed with NASA to enhance astronaut performance and safety through textile-embedded electromyography sensors. A multi-sensor smart performance wear solution that integrates sEMG, IMU, temperature sensors, and phase-change materials to assess fatigue and prevent injury via real-time machine-learning analysis. A smart safety PPE system incorporating dual protective layers—an aluminum-treated, heat-reflective outer shell and a breathable cotton mesh inner layer—to improve thermal comfort and injury prevention. A cotton-based sustainability and education initiative transforming classroom and industry cotton waste into high-performance healthcare materials, linking innovation, environmental stewardship, and student training. These accomplishments advance wearable health monitoring, occupational safety, and sustainable materials education, positioning MSU as a leader in integrating smart textile technology with human health and environmental goals. Minnesota Enhancing Safety and Fit for Protective Gloves & Equipment As part of our mission to ensure safer protective gear, the UMN team collaborated with researchers at Iowa State University (ISU) on dedicated firefighter (FF) glove research. The partnership focused on collecting 3D hand anthropometric data—highly precise, three-dimensional measurements—from over 200 firefighters and improving glove fit and sizing. This extensive dataset is crucial for understanding the diversity of hand shapes and sizes within the firefighting community, providing the foundation needed to develop gloves that are not only compliant with safety standards but also truly fit, improving performance and comfort on the job. Ill-fitting firefighter gloves pose a serious safety risk and negatively impact job performance. Our research systematically evaluated the sizing of manufactured gloves from five major brands using 3D scanning technology to determine if they accurately followed official standards. We discovered pervasive inconsistencies in sizing across all brands, including irregular size progression and significant overlaps between different sizes. This study demonstrates a fundamental disconnect between the intended sizing logic and the actual manufactured product, highlighting the need for an integrated approach that ties glove sizing development directly to manufacturing realities to achieve reliable and inclusive fit outcomes. The UMN team used advanced medical CT scanning to look inside five brands of firefighting gloves to precisely measure the "air gap"—the space between the outer protective layer and the inner layer. By capturing both the interior and exterior dimensions, we identified sources of interference that limit a firefighter's hand performance and dexterity, with these issues being most pronounced in the fingertip region. The research underscores the need for manufacturers to fix disparities between the inner and outer glove patterns, ensuring the layers align better at the hand's web area and stay closer at the fingertips. This precision research is vital for creating gloves that offer better functional improvement and safety. Revolutionizing Gear Design with 3D Technology and Software Development The UMN team is transforming how protective equipment (PPE) is designed by harnessing the power of three-dimensional (3D) body scanning. Our team collected precise 3D anthropometric hand data from over 1,000 workers, encompassing 173 different measurements, and integrated this information into new software tools. This innovation provides immediate feedback to designers, allowing them to quickly adapt gear for maximum fit accommodation. For instance, initial testing of this software plug-in on one PPE device successfully increased fit reliability from 15% to 97% accommodation for the target population. Additionally, we developed a rapid, 24-hour digital process using 3D face scans to create custom mask components, which dramatically improves fit, function, and comfort for wearers with hard-to-fit faces in medical and military settings. Improving Predictability for Face Mask Safety UMN work significantly advances mask safety by improving how we predict if a mask will provide adequate protection. The UMN team demonstrated that using detailed, specific elements of a wearer's 3D face shape is far more accurate for predicting a proper seal (fit) than relying on traditional length and width measurements. By identifying critical geometric features, such as the precise shape of the nose slope, our models can effectively predict mask performance with fewer variables. This discovery allows for the development of more effective respirator designs, helping to improve safety protocols and better protect workers across healthcare, emergency services, and other critical industries. New York Park’s lab developed a wearable core body temperature prediction system which can be worn as undershirts. The prototype shirt is capable of measuring skin temperature and heart rate, to predict core body temperature which has been known as the most reliable predictor of cardiovascular and thermal regulatory malfunction. Park’s lab has also developed new designs of firefighters’ PPE, addressing gender specific design issues and size increments. With an external grant sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Park’s lab provided the IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) with constructive feedback on the latest version of NFPA1971 Standards and developing new designs of firefighters’ PPE. Considering the growing concern of PFAS containing flame retardant fabrics, Park’s team is prototyping new designs using PFAS free flame retardant fabrics for improved safety for firefighters. Maternity PPE coveralls are indispensable tools for safeguarding the health and well-being of pregnant women in the workplace. Baytar’s lab focused on developing patterns for changing bodies while keeping the production costs of disposable coveralls used in occupations with contamination risks at a minimum. In the first phase of the design research, a comparative design analysis of the existing coveralls and maternity wear was conducted, and initial designs were developed. Additionally, the efficiency of 3D digital design technologies in developing products and evaluating fit was actively investigated, and methods were developed. North Carolina We validated the use of a mobile body-scanning app for taking body measurements of U.S. female firefighters, indicating that the app could be a reliable tool for designing better-fitting protective clothing. We compared the measurements from the mobile app with those from a high-accuracy stationary body scanner, which is considered the industry standard. We have expanded this project nationwide, so female firefighters across the country can scan themselves and share their body data to help improve gear design. Working with protective clothing manufacturers, we developed the first iteration of female design patterns using anthropometric data we collected, for turnout jackets, wildland shirts, and pants for both structural and wildland firefighting activities. Oklahoma Partially developed TASL at OSU to evaluate the protective and comfort performance of fabrics. Published 5 journal papers in the field of protective textiles and clothing. Submitted 2 journal papers and 4 book chapters. Presented 6 abstracts in national and international conferences. Working on 2 edited books with NC-170 members. Washington We have developed 3D printed sensors for motion detection and strain sensing, adopting unique printing patterns and fabric structures. The printed fabrics have great potential in multiple applications for smart wearables.   Unique Project-Related Findings    Florida Analysis validated the use of remote 3D body scanning applications for collecting geographically spread, population specific anthropometric data. Published studies demonstrated women in the fire service significantly differ from the U.S. general female population in terms of body measurements that are essential for PPE fit. Therefore, women’s PPC should be designed based on population specific anthropometrics. Georgia N/A Hawaii N/A Kansas  A systematic review and market scan confirmed that most brands still rely on unisex or male‑patterned turnout gear, a practice linked to persistent fit, comfort, and performance problems for female firefighters.     Our early analytic work indicates that validated ML tools can reliably process large 3D body‑scan datasets, enabling scalable, evidence‑based sizing and pattern development.    Body asymmetry patterns observed in scans appear related to hand dominance and select demographics, reinforcing the need for pattern options that accommodate asymmetry rather than forcing “average” symmetry.    Lessons from firefighting translate to other high‑risk jobs: fit, mobility, and heat‑stress management also surfaced as top concerns in racing and beekeeping PPE, suggesting cross‑sector design opportunities.   Mississippi MSU researchers discovered that textile-based systems can successfully integrate physiological and environmental sensing technologies while maintaining comfort, wearability, and sustainability. The development of biodegradable conductive smart textiles demonstrated that natural fibers and biopolymers can provide effective sensing and self-charging capabilities for health and PPE applications without relying on nonrenewable materials. The incorporation of fabric-based electrodes and urinalysis sensors within wearable garments—such as adaptive pants and T-shirts—proved feasible for real-time health monitoring, including detection of kidney conditions and neuromuscular fatigue. The Smart Proprioceptive Textile Layer (SPTL) concept, designed in collaboration with NASA, revealed that small-scale textile-embedded electromyography sensors could enhance motion control and endurance for astronauts during extravehicular activity. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of smart textiles to merge biomedical functionality, environmental responsibility, and advanced material performance.   Minnesota Pervasive Sizing Inconsistencies in Firefighter Gloves: Systematic 3D scanning of manufactured gloves from five major brands revealed pervasive inconsistencies in sizing, including irregular size progression and significant overlaps between different sizes, indicating a fundamental disconnect between intended sizing logic and the actual manufactured product. Identification of Dexterity-Limiting "Air Gaps" via CT Scanning: Advanced medical CT scanning of firefighter gloves precisely measured the "air gap" between layers, identifying that interference issues, which limit performance and dexterity, are most pronounced in the fingertip region. Software Plug-in Demonstrates Massive Fit Improvement: Developed a software tool integrated with precise 3D anthropometric data (from over 1,000 workers) that, in initial testing on one PPE device, increased fit reliability from 15% to 97% accommodation for the target population. Rapid, Custom Mask Component Creation: Developed a rapid, 24-hour digital process using 3D face scans to create custom mask components, specifically targeting improved fit, function, and comfort for wearers with hard-to-fit faces. 3D Face Shape is Superior Predictor of Mask Seal: Demonstrated that using detailed, specific elements of a wearer's 3D face shape (e.g., nose slope) is far more accurate for predicting a proper mask seal (fit) than relying on traditional 2D length and width measurements. New York A combination of heart rate and skin temperature on the torso was found to be an effective predictor of core body temperature, which has been known as the most reliable predictor of heat stress and cardiovascular malfunction, the leading cause of firefighters' fatalities. North Carolina U.S. female firefighters are, on average, 6.7 cm taller than the general U.S. female population and tend to have wider waists and hips. The height difference is mainly attributed to longer leg inseam length, center back waist length, and crotch height. The standard size charts provided by NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting and Urban Interface Fire Fighting, contain notable discrepancies when compared to U.S. female firefighters’ anthropometry, particularly in lower torso measurements. For front rise length, only 4.3% of participants fell within the NFPA 1977 size range. The sizing system also fails to accommodate female firefighters with larger waist and hip measurements (about 48.7%), due to poor correlation between these dimensions. Moreover, rise sizes showed inconsistent and weak relationships with hip circumference, resulting in 30% to 98.9% of participants unable to find a standard size that represents the proportional relationship between these two body regions. Oklahoma PAH contamination on protective clothing. Development of light-weight materials for protection. Washington We have furthered our understanding of the various factors that affect the properties of side-by-side fibers and utilized novel materials for conductive fiber production. For 3D printing, we investigated the influences of printing material, printing process, and fabric substrate on printed fabric performance and developed 3D printed fabrics with reliable sensing performance, washability, and durability.

Publications

Published Written Works  Florida Tindall, S., McQuerry, M., & Bolaji, J. (invited; under review, 2025). A review of textile hydrogel integration in firefighting personal protective clothing. Polymers; Special Issue: Technical Textile Science and Technology. (14 pages).  Qiu, Z., Bolaji, J., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (under review). Assessing 3D mobile scanning applications for female firefighter anthropometric measurements. Applied Ergonomics. (28 pages).  Bolaji, J., Qiu, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (under review). The suitability of personal protective clothing sizing standards for U.S. structural female firefighters. Fire Safety Journal. (14 pages).  Chen, K., Dardaman, S., Siebert, P., McQuerry, M., & Yentes, J. (under review). The effect of gender, service type, and sizing measurements on firefighters’ perceptions of turnout gear fit and movement restriction. Safety Science. (35 pages).  Qiu, Z., Bolaji, J., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (Invited; 2025). Assessing standard sizing chart effectiveness for U.S. female wildland firefighters: a contingency table analysis. Fire. 8(7), 270, DOI: 10.3390/fire8070270  Bolaji, J., Qiu, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2025). U.S. female firefighter anthropometric versus wildland firefighting protective clothing sizing standards. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 1-13, DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2025.2492947 (Impact: 1.6)  Bolaji, J., Qiu, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2025). A comparative anthropometric analysis of U.S. female firefighters versus the general female population. Journal of Safety Research, 93, 206-213, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2025.02.021 (Impact: 3.9)  Bolaji, J. & McQuerry, M. (2024). Impact of self-contained breathing apparatus on air gaps in structural firefighting personal protective clothing. Applied Sciences. Special Issue: Innovative Functional Textiles and Their Applications, 15(6), 1-11, DOI: 10.3390/app15010006 (Impact: 2.5)  Qiu, Z., Bolaji, J., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (June 2025). Assessing full-body measurement accuracy of a remote body scanner to enhance PPE fit for U.S. female firefighters. In: Duffy, V.G. (eds) Digital Human Modeling and Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics and Risk Management, 233-249. HCII 2025. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 15792. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-93505-3_15  (Invited) McQuerry, M., Kwon, C., Qiu, Z., & Bolaji, J. (2025). Why Female Firefighting PPE Isn’t a Luxury - It’s a Lifeline. Crackyl Magazine. Special Issue: Women of Fire. Vol. 1 (16-17) https://www.crackyl.com/magazines/women-of-fire-vol-no-1/  Bolaji, J., Qiu, Z., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2025). Sizing up the gear: Lessons learned about female firefighter PPE fit. Fire Engineering/Firefighter Nation. https://www.firefighternation.com/lifestyle/firefighter-equipment/sizing-up-the-gear-lessons-learned-about-female-firefighter-ppe-fit/  Georgia  Jo, J., Kong, D., & Park, H. T. (2025). Elastomeric Fiber Optic-Embedded Gait Monitoring Insole. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal. Talukder, A., & Jo, J. (2025). Elastic textile-based wearable modulation of musculoskeletal load: A comprehensive review of passive exosuits and resistance clothing. Wearable Technologies, 6, e11. Jo, J., & Park, H. T. (2025). Battery-free head orientation measurement using passive RFID tags. Wearable Technologies, 6, e7. Hawaii  Lin, S. & Boorady L. (2025) Smart Textile Application from Market Analysis: A Comprehensive Review. Under Preparation.   Kansas Graciano, C.*, & Wu, Y. (2025). An Investigation on Female Firefighters’ Challenges with Current Firefighting Turnout Coat and Pants. Trends in Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology.   Wu, Y., (2025). Beyond the Virtual: Embracing Tangible Innovations in Fashion Technology and Sustainability. Journal of Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology. Minnesota Yu, M. & Griffin, L. (2025) Fit Prediction for Filtering Facepiece Respirator Using 3D Face Shape. Applied Ergonomics, 131, 104667. Zhang, M., Griffin, L., Li, R., & Song, G. (2025) Optimizing Firefighter Glove Fit: AI-Driven Solutions for Enhanced Safety. Fire Engineering PPE Supplement. Segura Duque, V. & Griffin, L. (2025) A Comprehensive Taxonomy of Hand Envelopes and Clearances for Ergonomic Design. ASPIRE Conference Proceedings. (Additional accepted and in-press works listed in original Minnesota document.)   Mississippi   Derafshi, M., Black, C., & Strawderman, L. (2025). Police officers’ uniform needs: an undershirt wear protocol. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17543266.2025.2455493   Gourley, K., Hagan, F., Talukder, A., Jose, B., Strawderman, L., Freeman, C., ... & Chander, H. (2024). Impact of different personal floatation devices during a simulated workload on physiological responses. In International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings (Vol. 16, No. 3, p. 271).   Kodithuwakku Arachchige, S. N. K., Chander, H., Ramsey, L. S., Knight, A. C., Wade, C., & Garner, J. C. (2025). The effects of multiple occupational footwear on static postural stability. Footwear Science, 17(2), 99–106.<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2025.2469180"> https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2025.2469180</a>   Momotaz, F., Eike, R., Li, R., & Song, G. (2025). Comparative Analysis of Thermal Comfort and Antimicrobial Properties of Base Fabrics for Smart Socks as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Materials, 18(3), 572. Strawderman, L., Jose, B., Burch, R., Saucier, D., Poudel, A., & Smith, B. (2025). Wearable Technology Hesitancy in Industrial Applications. IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 13(1), 64–73.<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/24725838.2024.2448686"> https://doi.org/10.1080/24725838.2024.2448686</a>   Talukder, A., Freeman, C., Kobia, C., & Burch, R. F. (2025). Assessing Corrosion Effects on the Electrical Performance of Wearable Photovoltaic Cells: A Comparative Analysis of Current Consistency and Resistance. Materials, 18(2), 267.   New York  Kong, D., Lin, A., Melissas, A, Stull, J., & Park, H. (2024). Design Considerations for Protective Boots for First Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents. Applied Ergonomics. Goodge, K., Brown, D. E., Frey, M., & Baytar, F. (2025). Development of a Method to Evaluate the Dynamic Fit of Face Masks. Textiles, 5(1), 9. Lin, A., Kao, C., & Park, H. (2024). A Modular Framework for Smart Garment Design. Clothing and Textile Research Journal.   North Carolina  Bolaji, J., Qiu, Z., Mcquerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2025). A comparative anthropometric analysis of US female firefighters versus the general female population. Journal of Safety Research. Qiu, Z., Bolaji, J., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2025). Anthropometric Evaluation of NFPA 1977 Sizing System for US Female Wildland Firefighters. Fire, 8(7), 270. Feature Articles: Firefighter Nation and Crackyl Magazine. Oklahoma  Islam, M.M., Mandal, S., Schnitzler, E., Habeeb, A. M., Agnew, R. J., Petrova, A., Boorady, L. M. (2025). Wildfire smoke and firefighter safety: a review of toxic particle exposure, clothing performance and health implications. Fire and Materials. Tushar, S. I., Mandal, S., Chowdhury, I. Z., Petrova. A., Boorady, L. M., Agnew, R. J., Kubicki, M., Parl, H., Larson, P. (2025). Characterizing the heat transfer performance of contaminated flame-resistant fabrics. Fire and Materials. (Additional four journal papers listed in Oklahoma report.) Washington  Zhao, Z., Liu, W., & Liu, H. (2025). Flexible and Durable Direct Ink Writing 3D-Printed Conductive Fabrics for Smart Wearables. ACS Omega, 10(14), 14138–14149. <h2>Scientific and Outreach Presentations</h2> Florida Extensive list including presentations at NFPA, FIERO, Techtextil, ITAA, PBS NOVA feature, and multiple international conferences (see full list in original report). Georgia ITAA Annual Conference, 2024, Long Beach, CA. Techtextil North America, 2025, Atlanta, GA. Hawaii Lin, S. & Boorady, L. (2024). Male and Female Firefighter Safety: ECG Monitoring via Apparel. NC170 and AATCC Annual Meeting, Savannah, GA. Kansas N/A Minnesota Segura Duque, V., Griffin, L., Park, K., Tacheny, M., and others at HFES, ITAA, HCI International, and Women’s Equipment and Readiness events (2025). Mississippi Alam, S. M. R., Momotaz, F., Lee, J. & Kobia, C. (2025). Exploring user intentions toward smart health-sync apparel for diabetes and mobility support using Technology Acceptance Model approach. In International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings   Alam, S. M. R., Momotaz, F., & Lee, J. (2025). Sustainable Smart Adaptive Health-Sync Apparel for Diabetics with Mobility Disability. In International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings. Alam, S. M. R., Momotaz, F., & Lee, J. (2025). Exploration of Market Opportunity of Biodegradable, Sensor-embedded Wearable Smart PPE Socks to Monitor Chronic Foot Conditions and Gait Abnormalities. NSF I-corp presentation. Momotaz, F., Li, R., & Song, G. (2024, October). Evaluation of the cooling performance of various types of cooling mechanisms used in PPE garments to provide comfort and protection using the thermal manikin test. Presented in AATCC Textile Discovery Summit (October 6-8, 2024). Savannah, Georgia, USA. Oral presentation Momotaz, F., & Hasan, M. R. (2024, November) Investigating public perception of smart clothing on Twitter using social network analysis. Presented at the ITAA Annual Conference (November 20-23, 2024). Long Beach, California, USA. Oral Presentation. New York Baytar, F., Lan, A. & McDermott, M. (2024, Sept 5–6). Maternity Personal Protective Coverall Design and Development. CLOTECH 2024, Dresden, Germany. North Carolina McQuerry, M., Kwon, C., Bolaji, J., & Qiu, Z. (2024). It’s Not Just the Measurements: What We Know About Gear for Women. Science to the Station Workshop, Emmitsburg, MD. Qiu, Z., Bolaji, J., McQuerry, M., & Kwon, C. (2025). Assessing Full-Body Measurement Accuracy of a Remote Body Scanner to Enhance PPE Fit for US Female Firefighters. HCI International Conference Proceedings. Oklahoma Six national and international presentations including ITAA Annual Conference (2025, Missouri, USA) and 13th International Manikin & Modelling Meeting (2025, North Carolina, USA). Washington Fiber Society Annual Spring Conference, 2025, Hong Kong, China. ITAA Annual Conference, 2024, Long Beach, CA. AATCC Discovery Summit, 2024, Savannah, GA.

Impact Statements

Florida Evaluated structural firefighting PPE using a dynamic sweating thermal manikin housed at Florida State University in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab®. Assessed prototype structural firefighter turnout suits and wildland protective clothing for heat stress relief and female firefighter fit and performance. Published work on female firefighter anthropometrics, body scanning validation, and wildland sizing for women. Received an additional $1.5M for a total of $3M in active FEMA funding to continue to study better fitting PPC for women in the fire service. Georgia The University of Georgia continues to advance research in smart textiles and wearable systems, developing stretchable fiber optic sensors for harsh environments, passive RFID sensors for battery-free motion tracking, and reviews of passive exosuits that reduce musculoskeletal loads during strenuous work. Hawaii Continued presentation to local communities and work on ECG application and improvement for Male and female firefighters. Developing costume and home mask for personal protective equipment improvement and solutions for local community especially preparations any uncertain time. Developing smart textiles applications (integrated technology that can sense, respond, and adapt to users and their environment) to improve health, living environments, and human performance. Kansas K‑State (KS): Completed a market landscape scan of current turnout gear and a systematic review of female-firefighter PPE literature, then translated those insights into further improvements of two female-specific prototypes (coat and pants). This represents the third round of design refinement, with significant enhancements in sizing and fit driven by new 3D body-scan data analytics and machine-learning algorithms, completed collaboratively with Colorado. The new designs have been fabricated as physical prototypes made from industry-grade materials that meet national standards. These prototypes are now ready for fit and performance evaluation in collaboration with North Carolina and Oklahoma. The KS team also initiated adjacent PPE design projects – developing racing-suit prototypes and completing a beekeeper-PPE market scan – to extend protection benefits to users exposed to occupational and environmental hazards. Minnesota University of Minnesota (UMN) & Iowa State University (ISU) Partnership: Collaboratively created an extensive 3D hand anthropometric dataset, which provided the foundation for developing safety gloves with improved, inclusive fit. Systematic evaluation of five major glove brands using 3D scanning revealed pervasive and fundamental sizing inconsistencies, providing actionable data for manufacturers to correct discrepancies between intended sizing and actual product to enhance firefighter safety and performance. University of Minnesota (UMN): Developed and integrated a software plug-in using 3D anthropometric data from over 1,000 workers, demonstrating an ability to increase fit reliability for PPE from 15% to 97% accommodation. Furthermore, UMN created a rapid, 24-hour digital process using 3D face scans to produce custom mask components, dramatically improving fit and function for users in medical and military settings. Mississippi Mississippi State University advanced the development and evaluation of personal protective apparel by integrating smart textile technologies and ergonomic design features aimed at improving comfort and protection for workers in agricultural and industrial settings. The team collaborated with multidisciplinary partners to prototype garments that enhance thermal regulation and mobility, contributing to safer and more sustainable occupational environments. New York A combination of heart rate and skin temperature on the torso was found to be an effective predictor of core body temperature, which has been known as the most reliable predictor of heat stress and cardiovascular malfunction, the leading cause of firefighters' fatalities. North Carolina The impacts of this project for the period of report are largely related to dissemination of information for female firefighters - including the female firefighter anthropometrics, analyses of the population, and 3D body modeling. Oklahoma In this year, Oklahoma State University (OK State) mainly focused on improving the facility at our Textile and Apparel Science Laboratory (TASL). The purpose of this laboratory is to analyze the protective and comfort performance of textile materials through bench-/full-scale equipment and modeling. Washington The development of side-by-side wet-spun conductive fibers has opened up a new technology paradigm to manufacture unspinnable polymers into fibers and 3D printing technologies provide a versatile finishing solution to develop functional fabrics. Various sensors fabricated from the side-by-side conductive fibers and 3D printed fabrics have great potential applications in smart wearables.

Date of Annual Report: 10/06/2026

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/17/2026 - 09/18/2026
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2025 - 09/30/2026

Participants

First Quarter Meeting Attendees (4/1/2026 - Online):
Hang Liu - Washington State University
Linsey Griffin - University of Minnesota
Olaitan Adeleke
Chunhui Xiang – Iowa State
Lynn Boorady – Oklahoma State University
Shu Lin – University of Hawaii
Sumit Mandal – Oklahoma State University
Wendy Sue Wheeler – Washington Sate University
Farhana Momotaz – Mississippi State
Charles Freeman – Texas Christian University
Leslie Browning-Samoni - Texas Christian University

Second Quarter Meeting Attendees (July 16, 2026 - Online)

Lynn Boorady - Oklahoma State University
Sumit Mandal - Oklahoma State University
Anugrah Shaw - University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Emiel Den Hartog - North Carolina State University
Mary Ruppert-Stroescu - Washington University in St. Louis
Charles Freeman - Texas Christian University
Farhana Momotaz - Mississippi State University
Hang Liu - Washington State University

Annual Meeting Attendees (9/17 - 18 , 2026 - Stillwater , OK)
Hang Liu - Washington State University
Lynn Boorady – Oklahoma State University
Sumit Mandal – Oklahoma State University
Farhana Momotaz – Mississippi State
Emiel DenHartog - North Carolina State University
Leslie Browning-Samoni - Texas Christian University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The NC-170 Annual Meeting was held September 17–18, 2026, at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, with virtual participation available for members unable to attend in person. The meeting was hosted by the Department of Design and Merchandising at Oklahoma State University.

Members shared updates on current research activities and opportunities for collaboration across participating institutions. Research discussed included smart wearable technologies and conductive textile systems; 3D-printed conductive materials; firefighter PPE, including fit, insulation, moisture management, contamination, and comfort; wearable sensing for pressure and temperature monitoring; gait-monitoring footwear; technologies for para-athletes; natural-fiber and sustainable protective products; thermal comfort and breathability; and occupational protection for industry and agricultural workers. Members also discussed opportunities to connect textile and PPE research with athlete engineering, kinesiology, and other interdisciplinary research areas.

A major focus of the meeting was planning for the next five-year NC-170 proposal. Members discussed the current level of active participation in the project, participating institutions, and opportunities to strengthen engagement and collaboration as the group moves into the next project period. The group also discussed research areas with strong potential for future collaborative funding, including wearable sensing technologies for firefighters and other occupational users.

Members participated in discussions to share current progress, identify future research opportunities, and continue development of the five-year proposal. These discussions provided an opportunity to consider how individual and collaborative research activities could align with the project's objectives and where participating institutions could contribute complementary expertise, facilities, and research capabilities.

The meeting also included discussion of active membership and project leadership. Members discussed the need to identify the next NC-170 Chair; however, a chair was not elected during the annual meeting. The position will be determined following the meeting through a poll of active NC-170 members.

The meeting included a tour of Oklahoma State University facilities and opportunities for informal discussion among members. The group also considered future engagement with PPE-related facilities and research laboratories as a means of strengthening collaboration and identifying new directions for NC-170 research.

Overall, the annual meeting provided an opportunity for members to share research progress, identify areas of common interest, strengthen connections across participating institutions, and begin shaping the research priorities and collaborative structure for the next five-year NC-170 project.

Accomplishments

<h2>Activities</h2> During the 2025–2026 reporting period, NC-170 researchers conducted collaborative and institution-specific investigations to advance personal protective technologies addressing current and emerging occupational and environmental hazards. Research activities focused on protective textile materials, wearable sensing technologies, thermal and physiological performance, contaminant exposure, and improvements in PPE sizing, fit, comfort, and usability for diverse worker populations. Researchers at Washington State University investigated the development of conductive textile materials through side-by-side wet spinning of liquid-metal and cellulose-based fibers and the development of three-dimensional printed conductive fabrics. These activities examined material properties and fabrication methods that could support future applications in wearable sensing, energy storage, and protective systems. Mississippi State University advanced research involving pressure- and temperature-sensing textiles, TRACK-SOCK wearable technologies, modular smart footwear, and natural-fiber-based protective products. Activities included prototype development, user evaluation, and investigation of factors influencing wearable-technology adoption. Researchers also examined cotton-based materials and sustainable approaches to developing high-performance products. University of Georgia researchers investigated interactive tufted electronic textiles, auxetic knitted strain sensors, textile-based electronic interfaces, and wearable gait-sensing applications. Additional work explored the use of large language models and retrieval-augmented technologies to support training and knowledge transfer in advanced textile manufacturing. Auburn University researchers continued investigating the performance, reliability, durability, and laundering characteristics of embroidered electrodes, wearable antennas, and other electronic textile components. This work addressed the practical challenges associated with incorporating electronic functions into textile products intended for repeated use. Iowa State University researchers investigated firefighter exposure to contaminants generated by wood, plastics, lithium-ion batteries, and wildland-urban-interface fires. Activities included evaluating PPE contamination and decontamination, developing passive sampling approaches, examining glove fit and localized thermal resistance, and investigating protective systems for healthcare personnel and commercial fishing workers in cold and wet environments. Oklahoma State University researchers investigated fiber-based multilayer protective textile systems intended to balance thermal and particulate protection with comfort and breathability. Activities included material development and evaluation relevant to industrial, agricultural, and other occupational environments. North Carolina State University researchers continued human-subject and laboratory-based investigations addressing firefighter PPE form, fit, function, and thermal performance, with particular attention to female firefighters. This research contributed to the development of evidence-based approaches for improving protective garment design and accommodating differences in body shape and movement. Kansas State University advanced research on body measurement, anthropometric variability, and protective-apparel sizing. In collaboration with Colorado State University, researchers examined 22 paired measurements obtained from three-dimensional body scans of 245 participants to evaluate body asymmetry and its implications for apparel fit. The team also conducted methodological research on portable and mobile three-dimensional scanning technologies and disseminated findings concerning female firefighter turnout-gear sizing. Additional activities included investigation of racing-driver suit sizing and use, development of a racing-suit design prototype, and exploratory discussions regarding protective-workwear needs among Kansas agricultural workers. Kansas State University also collaborated with North Carolina State University to plan research connecting anthropometric analysis and garment design with protective-clothing testing, thermal performance, comfort, and mobility. The collaboration supported development and submission of two external research proposals during the reporting period. Cornell University researchers conducted firefighter interviews and applied user-centered design methods to identify functional limitations in existing turnout gear. The team redesigned selected PPE features to improve accessibility and work efficiency, including relocating pockets, adding internal pocket compartments, and developing floating pockets intended to remain accessible when firefighters wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) harnesses. University of Maryland Eastern Shore researchers continued work associated with the International Center for PPE (ICPPE) initiative, including pesticide operator exposure assessment, risk mitigation, and international protective-clothing standards development. Activities supported the continued development and review of the ICPPE Risk Assessment and Mitigation Tool and contributions to ISO standards addressing protective clothing for pesticide operators. Across participating institutions, researchers also engaged in scholarly dissemination, stakeholder consultation, student research mentoring, and collaborative proposal development to advance the project's objectives. <h2>Milestones</h2> Significant milestones achieved during the reporting period included advances in protective textile materials, wearable technologies, occupational exposure assessment, PPE fit research, and the translation of research findings to professional and stakeholder audiences. Washington State University advanced fabrication and characterization of multifunctional conductive fibers and textile structures. Mississippi State University developed and evaluated wearable sensing and smart-footwear concepts, including user-centered research involving 30 athletes and active individuals and a separate analysis of 94 respondents concerning wearable-technology adoption. University of Georgia researchers developed and reported interactive tufted electronic textile structures, knitted sensing technologies, and approaches to digital knitting training. Auburn University advanced evaluation of embroidered electronic components and their suitability for wearable applications. Iowa State University progressed research addressing firefighter smoke contaminants, lithium-ion battery hazards, passive sampling technologies, glove sizing, thermal performance, and PPE-related exposure. Oklahoma State University advanced protective textile development and research relevant to thermal and particulate hazards. North Carolina State University continued firefighter PPE fit and performance research, contributing evidence relevant to improving protective clothing for female firefighters and other underserved wearer populations. Kansas State University and Colorado State University completed and published their collaborative body-asymmetry study and presented the findings at the October 2025 3DBODY.TECH conference. Kansas State also disseminated research on female firefighter turnout-gear sizing at the October 2025 International Manikin & Modelling Meeting. The team submitted two manuscripts addressing portable and mobile three-dimensional scanning validation and missing-data methods for apparel anthropometry. A racing-suit design prototype was developed for future refinement and evaluation. Kansas State University and North Carolina State University completed collaborative planning that resulted in submission of an NSF EPSCoR Research Fellows proposal in April 2026 and a Department of Defense Defense Health Agency proposal in July 2026. Funding decisions remained pending at the close of the reporting period. Cornell University completed a firefighter-informed redesign concept addressing turnout-gear functionality, including pocket accessibility when worn with SCBA equipment. The team also disseminated its research through scholarly and professional publications and university outreach. The ICPPE Risk Assessment and Mitigation Tool was reviewed and approved as a model referenced by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's Pesticide Registration Toolkit. International standards development also progressed, with ISO 27065 reaching the Final Draft International Standard ballot stage and ISO 18889 reaching the Draft International Standard ballot stage. These milestones represent completed research, dissemination, prototype-development, and collaborative-planning accomplishments during the reporting period. Where technologies or designs remain under evaluation, improvements in protection or user performance have not yet been established. <h2>Outputs</h2> NC-170 research activities produced peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers and presentations, book chapters, professional publications, technical findings, prototype designs, research datasets, methodological analyses, educational resources, and collaborative funding proposals. Materials and wearable-technology outputs included conductive cellulose/liquid-metal fibers, electronic textile structures, pressure- and temperature-sensing concepts, TRACK-SOCK development, modular smart-footwear concepts, interactive tufted textile interfaces, auxetic knitted strain sensors, and electronic textile electrode and antenna evaluations. Protective-performance research produced findings and publications addressing firefighter smoke contaminants, lithium-ion battery emissions, PPE contamination and exposure, passive sampling technologies, glove fit and thermal resistance, protective materials for healthcare workers, and protective apparel for extreme environments. Research on PPE sizing and fit generated anthropometric analyses, garment-fit findings, prototype concepts, and information relevant to improving the design of protective clothing for women and other populations whose needs may not be adequately addressed by conventional sizing systems. Kansas State University's additional outputs included a published body-asymmetry study based on 245 participants, conference presentations on body measurement and female firefighter PPE fit, two submitted methodological manuscripts, a racing-suit design prototype, and two collaborative external funding proposals. The body-asymmetry findings identified individual and localized differences that may be overlooked when garment-development decisions rely solely on population-level averages. Research on portable and mobile scanning also identified differences in measurement accuracy across body regions and populations. Cornell University's outputs included redesigned firefighter turnout-gear features informed by firefighter interviews, a professional article in Fire Engineering, a conference proceeding addressing gender-specific turnout-gear fit challenges, and a manuscript submitted for review examining how body proportions influence fit and function in female firefighter turnout gear. The research also received university media coverage. International and professional outputs included the ICPPE Risk Assessment and Mitigation Tool, contributions to ISO protective-clothing standards, and the edited Handbook of Occupational Personal Protective Equipment: Textile-Based PPE, along with associated book chapters. Project members disseminated findings through professional and scientific meetings, including the FIERO PPE Symposium, AATCC Textile Discovery Summit, International Manikin & Modelling Meeting, 3DBODY.TECH conference, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference, and other national and international venues. <h2>Short-Term Outcomes</h2> Research activities provided measurable evidence, new information, and resources that can support stakeholder decisions regarding protective clothing, wearable technologies, and occupational safety. At Mississippi State University, 30 athletes and active individuals participated in wearable-technology research, providing user-centered information relevant to the continued development of smart footwear and sensing systems. A separate analysis involving 94 respondents identified considerations affecting wearable-technology adoption, including comfort, usability, accuracy, cost, and privacy. Kansas State University's collaborative body-asymmetry study analyzed 22 paired measurements from three-dimensional scans of 245 participants. Although the study did not identify statistically significant average left-right differences across the measurement pairs, it documented individual variations relevant to garment measurement and fit. These findings provide evidence for considering localized asymmetry in protective-apparel design rather than assuming that average body symmetry adequately represents all users. Kansas State's evaluation of portable and mobile three-dimensional scanning research also identified areas where measurement accuracy varies by body region, scanning procedure, and population. These findings provide guidance for researchers and apparel developers selecting measurement technologies for sizing and fit applications. Cornell University's interviews with firefighters directly informed redesigned turnout-gear features addressing accessibility and functional use. The resulting concepts respond to wearer-identified concerns regarding pocket placement and interference from SCBA harness straps. Although the designs provide tangible evidence of stakeholder input being incorporated into product development, improvements in work efficiency, thermal comfort, or protective performance have not yet been quantitatively demonstrated. Firefighter PPE research across participating institutions generated information relevant to garment sizing, thermal performance, contamination, and exposure-reduction practices. Dissemination through firefighter-focused publications and professional events made these findings accessible to stakeholders involved in PPE selection, design, and use. The ICPPE Risk Assessment and Mitigation Tool achieved an identifiable pathway for broader application through its recognition within the FAO Pesticide Registration Toolkit. Progress in international standards development also provided research-based information for the continued improvement of pesticide protective-clothing requirements. Across the project, short-term benefits included expanded access to research findings, increased stakeholder participation in design and evaluation, development of new prototype concepts, and additional research and training resources. Longer-term reductions in exposure, injury, costs, or heat stress have not yet been established for all technologies and should be evaluated as research progresses. <h2>Linkages</h2> NC-170 activities demonstrated significant internal collaboration among participating institutions and engagement with external academic, professional, industry, and occupational stakeholder groups. Internal and multistate linkages included collaboration among Washington State University, Oklahoma State University, the University of California, Davis, and Texas Christian University on protective textile materials and related research. Mississippi State University collaborated with researchers associated with wearable technologies and protective textile performance, while Iowa State University worked with the University of Minnesota on firefighter glove sizing and anthropometric research. Kansas State University and North Carolina State University strengthened their collaboration by connecting body measurement, sizing, and prototype-development expertise with laboratory testing and thermal-performance evaluation capabilities. Their joint proposal-development activities addressed female firefighter protective ensembles and predictive modeling for individuals wearing protective equipment. Kansas State also collaborated with Colorado State University on body-asymmetry research. External linkages included firefighters and firefighter organizations, PPE manufacturers and industry representatives, international standards committees, agricultural safety specialists, healthcare and occupational safety stakeholders, and research communities involved in wearable technologies and advanced textile manufacturing. Cornell University's direct engagement with firefighters provided a mechanism for incorporating end-user experience into protective garment redesign. Kansas State University initiated discussions with agricultural Extension and safety colleagues regarding protective-workwear needs among ranch and rangeland workers, extending the project's potential stakeholder engagement to additional occupational populations. The ICPPE initiative maintained international linkages through engagement with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and organizations participating in the development of protective-clothing standards. Additional dissemination and engagement occurred through scientific and professional associations, conferences, workshops, and industry-focused publications. These collaborations support the exchange of technical expertise, access to specialized research capabilities, identification of stakeholder priorities, and development of research that addresses practical PPE needs across occupational settings. <h2>Plans for the Coming Year</h2> During the next reporting period, NC-170 members plan to continue developing and evaluating protective textile materials, wearable sensing technologies, and PPE systems addressing thermal, chemical, particulate, and physiological hazards. Planned activities include further research on conductive fibers and smart textiles; wearable sensing and footwear technologies; firefighter contamination, exposure assessment, and glove performance; protective materials for healthcare, industrial, and agricultural applications; and continued work on international PPE standards and risk-assessment tools. Researchers will also continue developing collaborative proposals, disseminating findings, and engaging industry and occupational stakeholders to identify research priorities. Additional priorities include advancing user-centered PPE sizing and fit research for underserved populations. Kansas State University and North Carolina State University plan to pursue opportunities to evaluate how body shape, garment fit, mobility, and thermal performance interact in protective ensembles, subject to funding and research capacity. Kansas State will continue exploring racing-driver protective

Publications

<h1 data-pm-slice="1 1 []">NC-170 Publications</h1> Reporting Period: October 1, 2025–September 30, 2026 Alam, S. M. R., Momotaz, F., & Gillen, Z. M. (2026). Designing wearable EMG-integrated assistive sportswear for athletes with spinal cord injury: A critical review and conceptual framework. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. Under review. Alam, S. M. R., Momotaz, F., & Lee, J. (2026). Sustainable adaptive smart apparel for diabetes and mobility disability: Integrating modular design, discreet urine management, and wearable health monitoring. The Journal of the Textile Institute. Under review. Alcala-Medel, J., Li, Y., Eike, R., Michaelson, D., Momotaz, F., & Mashud, A. K. M. Durability study of e-textile metasurface transmission line for wearable network applications. Textile Research Journal. Under review. Boisvert, R., & Wu, Y. (Faculty Mentor). (2025, November 19–22). Enhanced racing simulation: Training for real-world motorsports conditions through novel suit design. International Textile and Apparel Association Design Exhibition, St. Louis, MO. Choi, S., Mohan, R. B., Kim, H. J. H., Ha, J., & Jo, J. (2026). PileUp: A tufting approach to soft, tactile, and volumetric e-textile interfaces. Proceedings of the Twentieth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, 1–14. Chowdhury, I. Z., Sayak, N., Islam, M. M., & Mandal, S. (2026). Oil and gas industry workers' protective textiles and clothing. In Handbook on Occupational Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Textile-Based PPE (pp. 37–90). De Gruyter. Depping, A., Eike, R., Michaelson, D., & Li, Y. (2025). Design and reliability of transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS) embroidered electrodes. AATCC Journal of Research, 12(3), 1–14. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/24723444251342865" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.1177/24723444251342865</a> Grosskopf, C., Bërdëllima, A., Wiemann, C., Kuster, C. J., Best, M. G., Shaw, A., & Martin, S. (2026). The ICPPE initiative: Developing a new global operator exposure model for handheld spray application of pesticides. Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, 21, 11–23. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-026-01606-7" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-026-01606-7</a> Hossain, M. J., Etemadzadeh, M., Wu, Y., Rumi, M. J. U., Zhang, M., Li, R., & Song, G. (2026). Multilayer firefighter PPE as a reservoir for PAH contaminants after controlled pine-polystyrene smoke exposure. Journal of Hazardous Materials, Article 143017. Hsiao, H., Li, R., Zhang, M., & Song, G. (2026). Firefighter gloves sizing: Coverage, practicality, and effectiveness. Applied Ergonomics, 132, 104696. Huang, Y., & Liu, H. (2026). Blood and body fluid protective materials. In Handbook of Occupational Personal Protective Equipment: Textile-Based PPE (p. 21). Huang, Y., Liu, W., & Liu, H. (2026). Multifunctional cellulose/liquid metal conductive fibers with integrated mechanical, thermal, and conductive properties for smart wearables. Carbohydrate Polymers, 124959. Islam, M. M., Mandal, S., Schnitzler, E., Habeeb, A. M., Agnew, R. J., Petrova, A., & Boorady, L. M. (2026). Characterizing smoke contaminants on wildland firefighters' protective clothing from wood combustion. Fire Technology, 62, 161. Islam, M. T., Rumi, M. J. U., Hossain, M. J., Etemadzadeh, M., Wu, Y., Zhang, M., Li, R., & Song, G. (2026). Comparative evaluation of passive sampling materials under controlled fire smoke exposure: Uptake of PAHs and battery-derived metals. Journal of Hazardous Materials. Under review. Knisely-Medina, A., Balegar Mohan, R., & Jo, J. (2026). LLM-based support for digital knitting machine training. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 1–14. Knisely-Medina, A., & Jo, J. (2026). Apparel pattern modification guidance of competing LLMs: ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, 1–16. Li, R., & Song, G. (2026). The invisible threat: A new look at fire smoke, PPE contamination, and the future of firefighter health. Fire Engineering PP Supplement. Mandal, S., Liu, H., & Sun, G. (Eds.). (2026). Handbook of Occupational Personal Protective Equipment: Textile-Based PPE. De Gruyter. Mohan, R. B., & Jo, J. (2026). Strain-sensing auxetic knit with embedded elastomeric optical fibers. Textile Intersections Conference 2026, Design Research Society. In press. Momotaz, F., Li, R., & Song, G. Thermal performance of personal cooling systems in personal protective equipment (PPE): Insights from manikin-based testing. Textile Research Journal. Under review. Morgan, N., Fisher, P., Kennedy, M., Kluxen, F. M., Martin, S., Shaw, A., Wend, K., & Wiemann, C. (2026). The ICPPE initiative: Development of default dermal absorption values for use in conjunction with a new global operator exposure model for pesticides. Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, 21, 25–39. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-026-01601-y" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-026-01601-y</a> Nandi, S., Chowdhury, I. Z., Islam, M. M., & Mandal, S. (2026). Wildland firefighters' protective textile and clothing. In Handbook on Occupational Personal Protective Equipment – Textile-Based PPE (pp. 159–184). De Gruyter. Nandi, S., Chowdhury, I. Z., Talukder, A., Islam, M. M., Tushar, S. I., Sharma, S., & Mandal, S. (2026). Next generation thermal management and insulation with functional nanotextiles. In Functional Nanotextiles: Processing, Properties, and Applications (pp. 195–230). Elsevier. Nguyen, K. P., & Park, H. (2025). Gender-specific fit challenges in firefighter turnout gear: A proportional analysis. International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings, 1(1). <a href="https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21864" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21864</a> Nguyen, K. P., & Park, H. (2026). How body proportions influence fit and function in female firefighter turnout gear. Applied Ergonomics. Submitted and under review. Park, H., Lin, A., Do, H., & Nguyen, K. P. (2025). PPE reimagined: Design challenges, field realities, and new directions. Fire Engineering. <a href="https://digital.fireengineering.com/fireengineering/library/page/january_2026/67/" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://digital.fireengineering.com/fireengineering/library/page/january_2026/67/</a> Park, K., Tacheny, M., Li, R., Zhang, M., Song, G., & Griffin, L. (2026). Evaluation of sizing system structure and reliability in firefighting gloves. Applied Ergonomics, 134, 104722. Purandare, S., Li, R., Xiang, C., & Song, G. (2025). Novel core-shell nanostructure of ε-Poly-L-lysine and polyamide-6 polymers for reusable and durable antimicrobial function. Polymers, 17(23), 3195. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17233195" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17233195</a> Rumi, M. J. U., Hossain, M. J., Wu, Y., Etemadzadeh, M., Zhang, M., Kingston, T. A., Li, R., & Song, G. (2026). An emerging risk: Hazardous ultrafine particles and their metal-PAH enriched emissions from lithium-ion battery fires. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 507, 141681. Rumi, M. J. U., Wu, Y., Hossain, M. J., Etemadzadeh, M., Zhang, M., Kingston, T. A., Li, R., & Song, G. (2026). Wildland-urban interface co-combustion of biomass, synthetic polymeric materials, and lithium-ion batteries generates a new class of ultrafine soot-metal-PAH hybrid particles. Frontiers in Public Health, 14, 1768652. Rumi, M. J. U., Wu, Y., Zhang, M., Li, R., & Song, G. (2025). Invisible hazards of ultrafine particles (UFPs) from wildland-urban interface (WUI) fire smoke as emerging public health risks: A critical review. Science of the Total Environment, 1003, 180656. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180656" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180656</a> Shaw, A., van der Valk, H., Sanvido, O., Grosskopf, C., & Kuster, C. J. (2026). The ICPPE initiative: Development of a new global pesticide operator risk assessment and mitigation tool. Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, 21, 115–118. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-026-01603-w" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-026-01603-w</a> Wang, Y., Liu, H., & Wang, X. (2026). Protective garments for food processing workers. In Handbook of Occupational Personal Protective Equipment: Textile-Based PPE (p. 143). Weible, L., Zhang, M., Li, R., & Song, G. (2026). Protective textiles in extreme environments: A narrative review of material requirements, testing, standards, and glove performance in cold, wet commercial fishing. Textile Research Journal. In press. Wu, Y., & Graciano, C. (2025, October). Investigating the market: Sizing and fit limitations in firefighting PPE for female firefighters. Proceedings of the 13th International Manikin & Modelling Meeting (I3M): The Clothing and Textile Sciences Research Meeting. <a href="https://doi.org/10.52750/825607" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.52750/825607</a> Wu, Y., Li, R., Zhang, M., Shi, J., Zhou, F., Etemadzadeh, M., Hossain, M. J., Rumi, M. J. U., & Song, G. (2026). Characterization of smoke emissions from wood and plastic combustion under controlled conditions. Fire, 9(3), 117. Wu, Y., Morris, K., Liu, X., Boisvert, R., & Wu, H. (2025, December). Analyzing body asymmetry using 3D scans and machine learning: Insights from demographic patterns and dominant hand bias. 3DBODY.TECH Journal, 2, Article 30. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15221/25.30" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.15221/25.30</a> Wu, Y., Morris, K., Liu, X., Boisvert, R., & Wu, H. (2025, October 21–22). Analyzing body asymmetry using 3D scans and machine learning: Insights from demographic patterns and dominant hand bias. 3DBODY.TECH 2025: 16th International Conference and Expo on 3D/4D Body Scanning, Data and Processing Technologies, Lugano, Switzerland. Wu, Y., Zhang, M., Li, R., & Song, G. (2026). Understanding and mitigating contaminant exposure in firefighting: Comprehensive review of firefighter PPE on contamination, health risks, and decontamination methods. Occupational Health, 1(1), 12. Zhou, F., Zhang, M., Li, R., Wu, Y., Yang, J., Yu, S., Jannesair, A., & Song, G. (2025). Machine learning models for predicting localized thermal resistance of firefighting gloves: A comparative study. Textile Research Journal. Advance online publication. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175251376696" data-rich-text-autolink="">https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175251376696</a>

Impact Statements

Auburn University Impact statement Research advanced understanding of the reliability, durability, and practical performance of electronic textile components, including embroidered electrodes and wearable antenna systems. These findings support the development of wearable products that can maintain functionality through use and laundering. Potential long-term benefits include improved reliability and usability of textile-based sensing, monitoring, and protective technologies. Grants, contracts and other resources Dawn Michaelson — Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Multistate Travel Grant; $1,000; 2025.
Washington State University Impact statement Research advanced multifunctional conductive fibers and textile structures through liquid-metal/cellulose fiber fabrication and conductive textile manufacturing methods. These developments support future integration of sensing and electrical functions into flexible textile materials. Potential long-term benefits include adaptable smart protective apparel and wearable monitoring systems. Grants, contracts and other resources Hang Liu — NSF CAREER, Processing Intrinsically Conductive Polymers for Fibers via Side-by-Side Spinning; $520,000; March 2022–February 2027.
Iowa State University Impact statement Research expanded knowledge of firefighter PPE contamination, smoke exposure from wood, plastics and lithium-ion batteries, and protective-equipment performance. Controlled exposure studies, contaminant characterization, passive sampling and glove-fit analyses provide evidence to inform PPE design, cleaning, exposure assessment and selection. Potential long-term benefits include reduced occupational exposure and better protection for firefighters, healthcare personnel and commercial fishing workers. Grants, contracts and other resources Guowen Song and collaborators — DHS/FEMA, silicone-based firefighter exposure sampling; approximately $1,570,000; September 2025–September 2029. Guowen Song and collaborators — DHS/FEMA, lithium-ion battery fire PPE contamination; approximately $1,575,000; September 2024–September 2028. Guowen Song and collaborators, including Linsey Griffin — DHS/FEMA, firefighter glove fit and AI-aided hand measurements; approximately $1,575,000; September 2023–September 2027. Guowen Song, Rui Li and Mengying Zhang — CDC/NIOSH, extremity protection in the Alaska fishing industry; approximately $975,000; August 2023–August 2027. Guowen Song, Rui Li and Zhengyuan Zhu — DHS/FEMA, contaminant protection and contaminated PPE; approximately $1,575,000; September 2022–September 2026. Guowen Song and Gang Sun — CDC/NIOSH, healthcare worker PPE improvement; approximately $1,764,000; October 2021–October 2026. Rui Li — Iowa State University Honors Program, cellular toxicity of fire smoke; $500; January–May 2026.
Mississippi State University Impact statement Research advanced textile-integrated pressure and temperature sensing, smart footwear and modular protective products. A study involving 30 athletes and active individuals and a separate analysis of 94 respondents provided measurable user information relevant to wearable-technology development and adoption. These findings can guide more functional and usable wearable products for health, athletic and occupational applications. Cotton-based research also supports the development of high-performance textile products. Grants, contracts and other resources Farhana Momotaz — Cotton Incorporated, collaborative student learning projects using cotton sustainability for smart healthcare products; $40,000; January–December 2026.
University of Georgia Impact statement Researchers developed tufted textile interfaces, auxetic knitted sensors and other textile-integrated sensing approaches. These developments expand opportunities for flexible movement-monitoring and interactive wearable systems. Research on AI-assisted textile manufacturing training may also support technical knowledge transfer and workforce preparation. Grants, contracts and other resources Jeyeon Jo and Gajanan Bhat — U.S. Department of Defense, AI-Enhanced Training for Advanced Textile Manufacturing in the Southeast; $47,474; May–December 2026.
Oklahoma State University Impact statement Research supported the development of protective textile systems intended to balance thermal and particulate protection with comfort and breathability. Potential long-term benefits include protective apparel better suited to agricultural, industrial and other occupational environments where both hazard protection and physiological comfort are important. Grants, contracts and other resources No specific award amount or term was identified for Oklahoma State University in the compiled funding table.
North Carolina State University Impact statement Firefighter PPE research generated evidence on garment form, fit, function and wearer needs, particularly for female firefighters. Findings support more inclusive design and better understanding of mobility, comfort and protection. Collaboration with Kansas State University created a pathway to combine anthropometric analysis with thermal and laboratory evaluation; resulting performance benefits remain to be tested. Grants, contracts and other resources Meredith McQuerry and Cassandra Kwon — DHS/FEMA, Firefighter PPE Fit/Form/Function Project; amount and term not reported. North Carolina State University collaborated on Kansas State University proposals described under Kansas State; these are pending, not awards.
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Impact statement The ICPPE initiative advanced pesticide-operator risk assessment and protective-clothing standards. The ICPPE Risk Assessment and Mitigation Tool was approved as a model referenced in the FAO Pesticide Registration Toolkit, creating a route for broader use of research-based exposure-mitigation approaches. ISO 27065 and ISO 18889 also advanced through standards-development stages. Potential long-term benefits include improved protective-clothing selection and pesticide-operator safety. Grants, contracts and other resources ICPPE/University of Maryland Eastern Shore — NC-170 leveraged support for ICPPE Operator Safety Initiative; amount not reported; 2025–2026.
Kansas State University Impact statement A collaborative study with Colorado State University analyzed 22 paired measurements from 3D scans of 245 participants, identifying individual and localized asymmetries that can matter for protective-apparel fit even when population-level averages appear symmetric. A review of portable and mobile 3D scanning identified variation in accuracy across body regions and populations. The findings inform future measurement and inclusive sizing practices. Collaboration with North Carolina State University supported planning for evaluation of fit, mobility and thermal performance. A racing-suit design prototype was also developed, but its performance has not yet been established. Grants, contracts and other resources Two external proposals submitted with North Carolina State University: NSF EPSCoR Research Fellows (April 2026) and Department of Defense Defense Health Agency (July 2026). Combined funding requested: $1,321,255. Both pending at reporting-period end; not awarded funding.
Cornell University Impact statement Firefighter interviews informed a redesign of turnout-gear features, including relocated pockets, internal compartments and floating pockets intended to remain accessible beneath SCBA harness straps. The work demonstrates direct use of firefighter feedback to address functional needs. Potential long-term benefits include improved garment accessibility and work efficiency, although these benefits have not yet been quantitatively established. Grants, contracts and other resources No grants, contracts or funding amounts were reported in the Cornell submission.
NC-170 Multistate Project – Collective Impact Statement (2025–2026) During the 2025–2026 reporting period, NC-170 participants advanced research to improve the protection, comfort, functionality, and inclusivity of personal protective equipment (PPE) for individuals exposed to occupational and environmental hazards. Collaborative research addressed firefighter and agricultural worker safety, pesticide exposure, healthcare protection, thermal stress, protective apparel sizing and fit, and emerging wearable technologies. Key accomplishments included the development of conductive fibers, smart textiles, wearable sensors, and protective garment prototypes; investigations of firefighter exposure to smoke contaminants and lithium-ion battery hazards; and improvements in understanding how body shape, garment fit, and user needs influence PPE performance. Research involving 245 participants in body-scanning studies, 30 athletes and active individuals in wearable-technology evaluations, and 94 respondents in technology-adoption research provided measurable evidence to guide future product development. Participants also contributed to international PPE standards, including the advancement of ISO 27065 and ISO 18889, and the recognition of the ICPPE Risk Assessment and Mitigation Tool within the FAO Pesticide Registration Toolkit. Collectively, these activities strengthened multistate research collaborations, supported external funding and proposal development, expanded student research opportunities, and disseminated findings to industry professionals, researchers, and occupational safety stakeholders. The potential long-term impacts include reduced occupational exposure, improved PPE fit and usability, more inclusive protective apparel, and increased adoption of advanced protective technologies. Although many of these benefits require further evaluation, the accomplishments demonstrate meaningful progress toward translating textile and protective-equipment research into solutions that address the safety, health, and performance needs of diverse worker populations.