Study finds skin temperature on face, hands strongly indicate one's thermal comfort

New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) The temperature of the skin on the face and hands is closely tied to one's comfort, according to a new study, findings from which can help design wearable technology and smarter climate control systems for buildings, researchers said.

Forehead and cheeks, along with chest and back, are among the sites on the body that the researchers said are highly sensitive to temperature changes and easy to monitor, making them useful for real-world applications.

Published in the journal Energy and Built Environment, the review of 172 studies since 2000 shows "how this knowledge can help design safer, healthier and more sustainable spaces," author John Calautit, associate professor from the faculty of engineering at the University of Nottingham, UK, said.

The team added that research in this area is scattered and inconsistent, and the review provides the most comprehensive data to date on the link between skin temperature and thermal sensation.

"Smarter building technologies (can) use this physiological data to automatically deliver comfortable, energy-efficient environments with minimal input from occupants," Calautit said.

The authors also found that cooling provided to local areas on the body -- such as on the back or chest -- can significantly improve comfort, while local heating has much less impact.

Further, older adults tend to be less sensitive to warmth, potentially putting them at higher risk of overheating, while women were found to be more sensitive to temperatures.

The researchers said that climate background also matters -- people from warmer regions respond to temperature differently compared to those from cooler ones, suggesting a need for more tailored approaches to thermal comfort.

"This study lays the groundwork for smarter, more inclusive, and preventative approaches to managing thermal environments, helping reduce health risks and improve comfort for all," Calautit said.

The team also looked into the possibility of combining video cameras with deep learning (a form of artificial intelligence) to be able to predict people's comfort levels, which can reduce a reliance on subjective surveys, they said.

The authors wrote, "The review reveals that the most common measurement points for skin temperature are the face and hands, attributed to their higher thermal sensitivity and the practical ease of measurement." "The head, particularly the forehead, followed by the cheeks, is the most common site for skin temperature measurement. The chest and back are also frequently used measurement points," they wrote. PTI KRS KRS RT RT