The use of thermography to measure the cooling performance of personalcooling systems

The thermoregulatory system is responsible for maintaining body temperature. When the body temperature is between 36.1ºC and 37.1ºC, our body is in a state of thermal well-being, and there is an exchange of body heat between our body and the ambience. When exposed to high temperatures, the body’s heat exchange with the environment decreases, causing an increase in internal temperature. This requires a mechanism to assist the thermoregulatory system in maintaining the body’s thermal well-being. Cooling garments help the body’s thermoregulatory system reduce heat accumulation during stress. Cooling vests are the most used type of cooling garment because the trunk region is the area that has the most temperature receptors that regulate the body’s internal temperature. The variation of cooling vests in the market differs depending on the cooling mechanism used. Thermography is a non-intrusive method of measuring surface temperature. It is an excellent choice for qualitative and quantitative analysis without disrupting an object’s performance. This study used thermography to evaluate the performance of five cooling vests with different cooling mechanisms. The results showed that data obtained from thermography analysis can be compared to a standardised method for assessing the performance of personal cooling systems.