Tolerable range of abdomen and waist skin temperature for heating-capable smart garments
International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology
ISSN: 0955-6222
Article publication date: 6 December 2021
Issue publication date: 14 December 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide information on how to monitor the temperature setting of a heating device in order to implement a heating unit successfully in the smart clothing by observing voluntary heating behavior of wearers.
Design/methodology/approach
Subjects wearing base layers and additional clothing were asked to turn on and off the switch when wanted in the cold environmental chamber. Tolerable range of skin temperature (TST) depending on the location of body was obtained by observing the temperature at the time when the heating device was turned on and off during a rest–running–rest protocol.
Findings
The TST was 32.8–49.4 °C and decreased to 31.3–37.6 °C around abdomen and back waist, respectively. Changes in the wearers' voluntary control behavior were observed depending on the individual's level of cold-sensitivity and activity level of rest and running. TST was 35.8–49.4 °C (Rest 1: rest before exercise), 40.0–42.0 °C (Running) and 35.3–43.2 °C (Rest 2: rest after exercise) for cold-sensitive group, whereas it was 32.8–36.2 °C (Running) and 34.4–45.7 °C (Rest 2: rest after exercise) for cold-insensitive group.
Originality/value
In this study, results with detailed body locations and wearer's thermal sensitivity provide practical references for the implementation of a heating device to the comfortable multilayered smart clothing.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr. Okkyung Lee of CNU for her assistance in this article.
Citation
Kim, S., Hong, K. and Lee, H. (2021), "Tolerable range of abdomen and waist skin temperature for heating-capable smart garments", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 33 No. 6, pp. 929-941. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCST-02-2020-0012
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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