The Flame Base Layer is a wearable that’ll control your temperature

Just in time for winter, here’s a new wearable that can heat you up when it’s cold outside (or inside, for that matter) and then cool you down again once your body’s adjusted. Unsurprisingly, it comes to us from Canada. (And from Engadget, where we first spotted it.)

Alex Huang and Jason Yakimovich, engineers from the University of Toronto, have invented the Flame Base Layer, which comes with three built-in heating elements: two in the front and one in the back. A discreet pocket in the front houses a battery-controlled temperature sensor, which works automatically or can be manually regulated. The layer is made of soft, stretchy bamboo fabric and is light and thin, so you could wear it under pretty much anything (except a party dress, when you might need it most – but maybe that’ll be in their next range). Their initial prototype was in men’s sizes, but the version for sale will be available for women, too.

It can provide between three and eight hours of heat, depending on how cold you are, and there’s a battery indicator to show how much power and heat you have left (each layer comes with its own charger). It’s washable (in a light detergent, as long as you air-dry it) and would be ideal for outdoor sports, commuting during the winter, or visiting one of those hardy types who never turns the heating on until mid-November (brrrrrrrrr).

Huang and Yakimovich are raising funds for it on Indiegogo, but it looks like it’s definitely heading to market, having raked in $43,350 of an initial goal of $20,000 goal with 26 days still to go. They’ll produce their first batch next month and plan to ship this December. If you want to get in on the action it’ll set you back $150 Canadian (approx. £83), but you could have your cosiest Christmas yet.

Want to read more? Here’s our coverage of the recent Apple announcements, including everything you need to know about Apple’s ‘phablet’, the iPhone 6 Plus, and smartwatches buying guide, or if you’re sick of Apple completely, here’s our rundown of our 14 favourite dating apps, from Tinder to eHarmony.