Tensor-based object recognition has been widely studied in the past several years. This paper focuses on the issue of joint feature selection from the tensor data and proposes a novel method called joint tensor feature analysis (JTFA) for tensor feature extraction and recognition. In order to obtain a set of jointly sparse projections for tensor feature extraction, we define the modified within-class tensor scatter value and the modified between-class tensor scatter value for regression. The k-mode optimization technique and the L _2,1 -norm jointly sparse regression are combined together to compute the optimal solutions. The convergent analysis, computational complexity analysis and the essence of the proposed method/model are also presented. It is interesting to show that the proposed method is very similar to singular value decomposition on the scatter matrix but with sparsity constraint on the right singular value matrix or eigen-decomposition on the scatter matrix with sparse manner. Experimental results on some tensor datasets indicate that JTFA outperforms some well-known tensor feature extraction and selection algorithms.

Chitosan has been widely studied for use in many areas, such as for its applications in the biomedical, engineering and pharmaceutical fields, as well as in industry, because of its unique properties, including biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, polycationic nature and biocompatibility. Thanks to the rapid development of materials science, chitosan applications are now possible in textiles. However, there are still many limitations of chitosan fibers in terms of their high electrostaticity, poor mechanical properties and high cost, which are obstacles that inhibit potential applications of chitosan fiber in the industry. Generally, in order to achieve the best performance with chitosan and enhance its commercial value, chitosan fibers are usually blended with long cotton fibers in the textile industry. Therefore, based on preliminary experiments and feedback from the industry, this study was carried out to further investigate the relationship between fiber length, fiber interaction and yarn performance. The results of this study would therefore help to reduce the production cost of yarns with the blending parameters used and also expand the utilization and applications beyond medical applications to fashion-based functional wear. The sliver-blending method offers better tensile properties of yarn samples, while the fiber-blending method offers higher uniformity of fiber distribution. This study would help to reduce the production cost of yarns by blending and also to expand the utilization and application not limited to fashion-based functional wear.

This paper reports on an experimental investigation on the effect of added fullness and ventilation holes in T-shirt design on clothing comfort measured in terms of thermal insulation and moisture vapour resistance. Four T-shirts in four different sizes (S, M, L, XL) were cut under the traditional sizing method while another (F-1) was cut with specially added fullness to create a ‘flared’ drape. A thermal manikin ‘Walter’ was used to measure the thermal insulation and moisture vapour resistance of the T-shirts in a chamber with controlled temperature, relative humidity and air velocity. The tests included four conditions: manikin standing still in the no-wind and windy conditions and walking in the no-wind and windy condition. It was found that adding fullness in the T-shirt design (F-1) to create the ‘flared’ drape can significantly reduce the T-shirt's thermal insulation and moisture vapour resistance under walking or windy conditions. Heat and moisture transmission through the T-shirt can be further enhanced by creating small apertures on the front and back of the T-shirt with specially added fullness. Statement of Relevance: The thermal comfort of the human body is one of the key issues in the study of ergonomics. When doing exercise, a human body will generate heat, which will eventually result in sweating. If heat and moisture are not released effectively from the body, heat stress may occur and the person's performance will be negatively affected. Therefore, contemporary athletic T-shirts are designed to improve the heat and moisture transfer from the wearer. Through special cutting, such athletic T-shirts can be designed to improve the ventilation of the wearer.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare hereditary skin disease that causes skin fragility and blistering. Since the wounds of EB do not fully heal, and there is currently no available medical technology that can cure this skin disease, patients suffer from the related physical and psychological pain during their lifetime. Therefore, it is important that skin-protective apparel with protective functions be specifically developed for EB patients to improve their wear comfort and reduce their chances of further skin injuries through the interaction of clothing as a “second skin” and the human skin. This study investigated the fabric comfort properties of chitosan/cotton blend knitted jersey fabric in order to provide comprehensive knowledge to facilitate further medical textile development for EB patients. A proposed model determines the role of chitosan-based yarn in providing comfort to EB patients to determine scientifically the association between textile comfort and medical treatment, and establishes the relationship between percentage composition and comfort to facilitate further examination of medical textiles in both theoretical and practical aspects. The results show that increases in the concentration of chitosan (50% or above) in the blend ratio reduce the rigidity of the fabric and provide a softer handle for the inner surface of the fabric. The surface friction coefficient is reduced which means a smoother surface and the thermal maximum flux is also reduced, that intends a fabric with a cooler handle. It is concluded that fabric with a composition that incorporates chitosan fibers can provide better comfort, which in turn, facilitated the development of a skin-protective textile for EB patients, by the application of chitosan/cotton blend knitted jersey fabric.

In recent decades, the contemporary generations of older people have exhibited a strong requirement for improved fashion products. The design preferences of older people on fashion clothing change with their physical and sociopsychological characteristics. Studies on fashion aiming to understand the needs and preferences of older people in the fashion market in relation to gender characteristics in Hong Kong are limited. This study generated invaluable data for understanding older people, aged 60–80 years, in Hong Kong in terms of their psychological factors, design preferences, and fashion experience regarding gender differences. Thus, design practitioners can apply the findings to create modern fashion for older people to meet the ever-changing needs of the market.