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Development of a Core Body Thermometer Applicable for High-Temperature Environment Based on the Zero-Heat-Flux Method

Authors :
Hanzi Lu
Shun Aratake
Hisashi Naito
Masamichi Nogawa
Tetsu Nemoto
Tatsuo Togawa
Shinobu Tanaka
Source :
Sensors, Vol 23, Iss 4, p 1970 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

Monitoring core body temperature (CBT) allows observation of heat stress and thermal comfort in various environments. By introducing a Peltier element, we improved the zero-heat-flux core body thermometer for hot environments. In this study, we performed a theoretical analysis, designed a prototype probe, and evaluated its performance through simulator experiments with human subjects. The finite element analysis shows that our design can reduce the influence of external temperature variations by as much as 1%. In the simulator experiment, the prototype probe could measure deep temperatures within an error of less than 0.1 °C, regardless of outside temperature change. In the ergometer experiment with four subjects, the average difference between the prototype probe and a commercial zero-heat-flux probe was +0.1 °C, with a 95% LOA of −0.23 °C to +0.21 °C. In the dome sauna test, the results measured in six of the seven subjects exhibited the same trend as the reference temperature. These results show that the newly developed probe with the Peltier module can measure CBT accurately, even when the ambient temperature is higher than CBT up to 42 °C.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14248220
Volume :
23
Issue :
4
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Sensors
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.6fa31ec812694c7b94dbc424e43d3513
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/s23041970