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Operational Characteristics of Two Commercially Available Personal Cooling VestsPersonal thermoregulatory systems which provide chest cooling are used in the industrial and aerospace environments to alleviate thermal stress. However, little information is available regarding the physiologic and circulatory changes produced by routine operation of these systems. The objectives of this study were to compare the effectiveness of two passive cooling vests, and to measure the body temperature and circulatory changes produced by each cooling vest configuration. A Life Enhancement Technologies, (LET) ice vest garment and a Steele, Inc. vest were used to cool the chest region of 11 male subjects (25 to 55 yr) in this study. Calf, forearm and finger blood flows were measured using a tetrapolar impedance rheograph. The subjects, seated in an upright position at normal room temperature (approximately 21 C) were tested for 60 min. with the cooling system operating at its maximum cooling capacity. Blood flows were recorded continuously using a computer data acquisition system with a sampling frequency of 250 Hz. Oral, right and left ear temperatures and cooling system parameters were logged manually every 5 min. Arm, leg, chest and rectal temperatures; heart rate; respiration; and an activity index were recorded continuously on a U.F.I., Inc. Biolog ambulatory monitor. No significant differences were found in either the oral or ear temperature responses to the two vests. However, the rectal and mean skin temperatures at the end of the cooling period were both significantly lower (P less than 0.05), approximately 0.2 and 1.9 C, respectively for the LET vest than for the Steele garment. These data show that different vest configurations may produce different thermal responses in healthy male subjects which should be considered in the use of these cooling garments.
Document ID
20020040905
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ku, Yu-Tsuan E.
(Lockheed Martin Engineering and Sciences Co. Moffett Field, CA United States)
Lee, Hank C.
(Lockheed Martin Engineering and Sciences Co. Moffett Field, CA United States)
Montgomery, Leslie D.
(Lockheed Martin Engineering and Sciences Co. Moffett Field, CA United States)
Webbon, Bruce W.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Luna, Bernadette
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1996
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Meeting Information
Meeting: Aerospace Medical Association 1997 Annual Scientific Meeting
Location: Chicago, IL
Country: United States
Start Date: May 11, 1997
End Date: May 15, 1997
Sponsors: Aerospace Medical Association
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 199-61-99
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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