Sure, that piece of technical gear breathes, wicks, or insulates. But how do garment and gear manufacturers back up those claims? By testing the pieces on a sweating thermal manikin (YT). Meet Newton, Liz, and Baby Ruth, several members of a growing family (.pdf, see Table 2) working to keep firefighters, bomb disposal experts, and soldiers safer, and performance gear users more comfortable.
What else can sweating thermal manikins be used for? Measuring the heat removal rate of personal cooling systems, measuring thermal insulation of sleeping bags, and determining the temperature ratings for cold weather protective clothing, for a start. Divers, you have benefited from the newest member of the team: NEMO the fully submersible!
Whether it has been tested on the dance floor remains an open question.