Aethermotics

Einbos

Over its nearly five year span, the project produced a substantial body of design work; including modular hard to soft prototypes, refined thermal systems, scalable production methods, fabrication techniques, per-production garments and hardware, as well as garment integration methods tailored for industrial and clinical use.

While the venture is no longer progressing in a commercial capacity, the design foundations remain strong. Much of the system architecture and integration strategy has relevance beyond its original context, and many elements of the work continue to influence how I approach wearable product design today.

Over its nearly five year span, the project produced a substantial body of design work; including modular hard to soft prototypes, refined thermal systems, scalable production methods, fabrication techniques, per-production garments and hardware, as well as garment integration methods tailored for industrial and clinical use.

While the venture is no longer progressing in a commercial capacity, the design foundations remain strong. Much of the system architecture and integration strategy has relevance beyond its original context, and many elements of the work continue to influence how I approach wearable product design today.

Project Overview

Aethermotics was a multi-year startup venture focused on developing low-layer wearable cooling systems for industrial and clinical environments. The project began as an exploration of discreet thermal regulation for motorcycle riders, but evolved as broader applications emerged across high-heat contexts such as healthcare, construction, and heavy industry.

As a co-founder and technical lead, I was invloved in the full lifecycle of the project, leading product design while working closely with engineering, manufactures and early users.

The work spanned concept development, prototyping, system architecture, garment development and integration, and preparation for manufacturing, alongside business development, fund raising/grants and ongoing market engagement that shaped key pivots and design decisions throughout the project’s evolution.

Over its nearly five year span, the project produced a substantial body of design work; including modular hard to soft prototypes, refined thermal systems, scalable production methods, fabrication techniques, per-production garments and hardware, as well as garment integration methods tailored for industrial and clinical use.

While the venture is no longer progressing in a commercial capacity, the design foundations remain strong. Much of the system architecture and integration strategy has relevance beyond its original context, and many elements of the work continue to influence how I approach wearable product design today.

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Early Proofs & Technical Developments

With the foundations in place, the next phase focused on building and testing the underlying technologies that would power the system. We developed working prototypes of airflow delivery mechanisms, explored evaporative cooling techniques, and tested scalable soft system integrations that could support dynamic cycling of air across and away from the body.

Multiple attachment methods and airflow routing solutions were explored. Early testing phases included both test bench and field conditions, allowing us to validate core hypotheses while adapting to practical limitations.

This phase also produced early insights around heat zones, system ergonomics, and user comfort, becoming key inflection points of the platform’s design as it matured.

Motorcycle Cooling Concept

Aethermotics began as a design response to the intense heat, cold and discomfort experienced during long-distance motorcycle rides. The initial concept focused on delivering adaptive cooling or heating through a tethered, low-profile garment supplied by a miniature AC-style unit mounted on and powered by the bike. The garment had to be slim, silent, mobile and comfortable under tight gear, which meant developing new approaches to airflow delivery and garment construction.

This early phase involved deep research into on-body cooling systems, existing products, and the physiological dynamics of thermal relief. Dozens of competing products and research papers were reviewed, identifying a clear opportunity to explore adaptive cooling that preserved wearer mobility and didn’t rely on bulky ice vests, water loops or rigid enclosures.

Though the scope was narrow, this version established the groundwork for what would become a much broader and more ambitious system.

Personal Cooling to Industrial Application

As our prototypes developed, it became clear that the system’s potential extended well beyond motorcycling. Conversations with industry professionals revealed how widespread heat stress was in high-risk sectors, such as healthcare, construction, agriculture and aviation.

The platform’s combination of high airflow, compact form factor, and wearability under PPE offered an edge over existing options. We began building use cases and conducting targeted outreach across several verticals to better understand how our system might serve frontline workers.

System Architecture & Modularity

With demand across diverse industries, we began developing a simplified modular system that could adapt to different body types, garments, and duty cycles. We refined the garment interface, airflow hardware, and control system into interoperable subsystems that could be recombined based on user context.

This phase included significant technical R&D. We built compact active cooling units, explored closed-loop airflow routing through co-ax air attachment, and developed novel attachment and interface mechanisms that allowed for efficient flow cycling between on-body and off-body components.

Much of the effort during this time focused on reducing duplication, improving interchangeability, and laying the groundwork for manufacturability without locking ourselves into a single industry or form factor.

Fully On-Body System

Despite the technical success of our miniature AC unit, we recognised a growing mismatch between complexity and deployability. To create something genuinely scalable, we made a decisive pivot: remove the off-body unit and build a standalone wearable cooling system that could operate anywhere, without setup.

This version focused on convective and evaporative cooling, leveraging natural sweat evaporation instead of mechanical chilling. By simplifying the system architecture and integrating airflow directly into a wearable form, we dramatically improved reliability, reduced the BOM, and preserved the system’s ability to adapt in real time.

The hardware became a detachable low-profile module positioned at the lower back, easily worn under PPE or uniforms. Control was reduced to a single lapel-mounted interface. This reconfiguration became the foundation for our pre-production development.

Garment Development & Pilot Testing

With the platform refocused, we worked closely with garment designers to build a lightweight, performance-driven system optimised for comfort and mobility. This included developing custom fabric structures for airflow routing, engineered seams for pressure distribution, and integrated load-balancing for long-shift comfort.

We benchmarked against existing Japanese convectively driven wearables and identified clear opportunities for better air direction, weight distribution, and user experience. The final prototype garments achieved near-invisible wear under PPE, and allowed the user to remain fully mobile and untethered.

This version was tested across industrial sites. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, especially around comfort and perceived effectiveness. It confirmed that we had struck a good balance between system performance and real-world usability.

Early Proofs & Technical Developments

With the foundations in place, the next phase focused on building and testing the underlying technologies that would power the system. We developed working prototypes of airflow delivery mechanisms, explored evaporative cooling techniques, and tested scalable soft system integrations that could support dynamic cycling of air across and off the body.

Multiple attachment methods and airflow routing solutions were explored. Early testing phases included both test bench and field conditions, allowing us to validate core hypotheses while adapting to practical limitations.

This phase also produced early insights around heat zones, system ergonomics, and user comfort, becoming key inflection points of the platform’s design as it matured.

Motorcycle Cooling Concept

Aethermotics began as a design response to the intense heat, cold and discomfort experienced during long-distance motorcycle rides. The initial concept focused on delivering adaptive cooling or heating through a tethered, low-profile garment supplied by a miniature AC-style unit mounted on and powered by the bike. The garment had to be slim, silent, mobile and comfortable under tight gear, which meant developing new approaches to airflow delivery and garment construction.

This early phase involved deep research into on-body cooling systems, existing products, and the physiological dynamics of thermal relief. Dozens of competing products and research papers were reviewed, identifying a clear opportunity to explore adaptive cooling that preserved wearer mobility and didn’t rely on bulky ice vests, water loops or rigid enclosures.

Though the scope was narrow, this version established the groundwork for what would become a much broader and more ambitious system.

Personal Cooling to Industrial Application

As our prototypes matured, it became clear that the system’s potential extended well beyond motorcycling. Conversations with industry professionals revealed how widespread heat stress was in high-risk sectors, such as healthcare, construction, agriculture and aviation.

The platform’s combination of high airflow, compact form factor, and wearability under PPE offered an edge over existing options. We began building use cases and conducting targeted outreach across several verticals to better understand how our system might serve frontline workers.

System Architecture & Modularity

With clear demand across diverse industries, we began developing a simplified modular system that could adapt to different body types, garments, and duty cycles. We refined the garment interface, airflow hardware, and control system into interoperable subsystems that could be recombined based on user context.

This phase included significant technical R&D. We built compact active cooling units, explored closed-loop airflow routing through co-ax air attachment, and developed novel attachment and interface mechanisms that allowed for efficient flow cycling between on-body and off-body components.

Much of the effort during this time focused on reducing duplication, improving interchangeability, and laying the groundwork for manufacturability without locking ourselves into a single industry or form factor.

Fully On-Body System

Despite the technical success of our miniature AC unit, we recognised a growing mismatch between complexity and deployability. To create something genuinely scalable, we made a decisive pivot: remove the off-body unit and build a standalone wearable cooling system that could operate anywhere, without setup.

This version focused on convective and evaporative cooling, leveraging natural sweat evaporation instead of mechanical chilling. By simplifying the system architecture and integrating airflow directly into a wearable form, we dramatically improved reliability, reduced the BOM, and preserved the system’s ability to adapt in real time.

The hardware became a detachable low-profile module positioned at the lower back, easily worn under PPE or uniforms. Control was reduced to a single lapel-mounted interface. This reconfiguration became the foundation for our pre-production development.

Garment Finalization & Pilot Testing

With the platform refocused, we worked closely with garment designers to build a lightweight, performance-driven system optimised for comfort and mobility. This included developing custom fabric structures for airflow routing, engineered seams for pressure distribution, and integrated load-balancing for long-shift comfort.

We benchmarked against existing Japanese convectively driven wearables and identified clear opportunities for better air direction, weight distribution, and user experience. The final prototype garments achieved near-invisible wear under PPE, and allowed the user to remain fully mobile and untethered.

This version was tested across industrial sites. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, especially around comfort and perceived effectiveness. It confirmed that we had struck a good balance between system performance and real-world usability.

Outcomes

Aethermotics demonstrated that meaningful thermal relief in high-heat environments requires an integrated, system-level approach rather than isolated product interventions. Across multiple iterations, the work clarified how garment architecture, airflow management, hardware placement, and human factors must be developed together to achieve comfort, wearability, and durability.

The project produced a robust body of design work, including modular hard–soft integration methods, scalable garment strategies, and manufacturing-ready system architectures. While the venture ultimately closed due to external funding and resourcing constraints, the technical and design foundations remain intact. The outcomes continue to inform my approach to wearable product design, particularly in navigating complexity, constraint, and real-world use.