Validity of contact skin temperature sensors under different environmental conditions with and without fabric coverage: characterisation and correction

Contact skin temperature ( T sk ) sensors are calibrated under uniform thermal conditions but used in the presence of a skin-to-environment temperature gradient. We aimed to characterise the validity of contact T sk sensors when measuring surface temperature under a range of environmental and fabric...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of biometeorology 2018-10, Vol.62 (10), p.1861-1872
Main Authors: MacRae, Braid A., Annaheim, Simon, Stämpfli, Rolf, Spengler, Christina M., Rossi, René M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum
Animal Physiology
Bias
Biological and Medical Physics
Biophysics
Body Temperature
Calibration
Coverings
Earth and Environmental Science
Environment
Environmental conditions
Environmental Health
Humans
Meteorology
Microclimate
Original Paper
Plant Physiology
Sensors
Skin
Skin Temperature
Surface temperature
Surface temperature measurements
Temperature
Temperature effects
Temperature gradients
Temperature measurement
Temperature sensors
Thermistors
Validity
Wearable Electronic Devices - standards
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Summary:Contact skin temperature ( T sk ) sensors are calibrated under uniform thermal conditions but used in the presence of a skin-to-environment temperature gradient. We aimed to characterise the validity of contact T sk sensors when measuring surface temperature under a range of environmental and fabric coverage conditions, to estimate practical temperature limits for a given measurement bias and to explore correcting for bias. Using two types of contact T sk sensors (thermistors, n  = 5; iButtons, n  = 5), we performed experiments in three phases: (1) conventional calibration (uniform thermal environment) over 15–40 °C in 5 °C steps (at t  = 0, and 24 h, 12 weeks later), (2) surface temperature measurements of a purpose-made aluminium plate (also 15–40 °C) at different environmental temperatures (15, 25, 35 °C) with different sensor attachments and fabric coverings to assess measurement bias and calculate correction factors that account for the next-to-surface microclimate temperature and (3) surface measurements (33.1 °C in 20 °C environment) for assessing generated corrections. The main results were as follows: (1) after initial calibration, T sk sensors were valid under uniform thermal conditions [mean bias
ISSN:0020-7128
1432-1254
DOI:10.1007/s00484-018-1589-0