Observations of upper-extremity skin temperature and corresponding overall-body thermal sensations and comfort

Abstract

This paper explores how upper extremity skin temperatures correlate with overall-body thermal sensation and comfort. The study's motivation was that skin temperature measurements of the finger, hand, and forearm might be useful in monitoring and predicting people's thermal state. Subjects in a range of test chamber temperatures had their subjective perceptions of overall thermal sensation and comfort collected by repeated surveys. A positive temperature gradient (finger warmer than the forearm) of as much as 2 K was seen when subjects felt warm and hot, while a negative temperature gradient (finger colder than the forearm) as much as 8.5 K was seen for cool and cold subjects. A useful warm/cold boundary was found at a finger temperature of 30°C, for both steady state and transient conditions. When finger temperature was above 30°C, or finger-forearm skin temperature gradient was above 0 K, there was no cool discomfort. When finger temperature was below 30°C, or the finger-forearm skin temperature gradient was less than 0 K, cool discomfort was a possibility. Finger temperature and finger-forearm temperature gradient are very similar in their correlation to overall sensation. We also examine how overall sensation is affected by actively manipulating the hand's temperature.

Thermal sensation and comfort models for non-uniform and transient environments, part III: Whole-body sensation and comfort

“…The methods and experimental results of these tests have been previously published: the physiological responses to local heating and cooling [4,5], thermal sensation and comfort under uniform conditions [6], and thermal sensation and comfort under non-uniform conditions [7]. This present series of papers (Parts I, II and III) completes the project by describing the predictive models that were developed from the experimental results.…”

“…Non-uniform tests and results are described in [3][4][5]7]. To experimentally simulate nonuniform environments, we cooled/heated various body parts while the whole body was exposed to warm or cool environments.…”

Occupants’ behavioural impact on energy consumption: ‘human-in-the-loop’ comfort process control

“…The climate of the Netherlands is comparable with that of Minneapolis. Wang et al (2007) achieved energy reduction by controlling the temperature at room level: 16% for heating and up to 28% for cooling compared with the actual situation.…”

“…When the skin is adapted to a certain temperature, the skin temperature can fluctuate between the borders of the neutral thermal zone without causing any thermal sensation. Wang et al (2007) exposed persons to a slightly cool environment of 19°C and very warm environment of 28.2°C. In the situation of the slightly cool environment, the test subjects voted their thermal sensation was cold after between 10 and 20 min.…”

“…of the body thermal state in the cooling region (Wang, Zhang, Arens, & Huizenga, 2007). Studies in the automotive field have shown that facial skin temperature is a measure for overall thermal sensation (De Oliveira & Moreau, 2009).…”