| Keywords |
Cold environment ; Foot skin temperature ; Heated socks ; Thermal comfort |
| Abstract |
This study was conducted to examine whether foot skin temperature could be maintained in human subjects exposed to cold air by warming the foot using heated socks. Four male subjects were exposed to 18℃ air while they sat in a chair for 100 min. Wearing test using thermal manikin was also performed under cold conditions of artificial climate chamber. Three different socks (cotton, acryl, and heated) were tested. The heated socks were knee high socks with the heating element over the sole surface of the foot. The heating elements using carbon fibers were electrically controlled. The results of this study were as follows; Earcanal temperature and mean skin temperature were lower with wearing heated socks; Wearing heated socks maintained warm temperature rather than wearing cotton socks; Wearing two layered cotton socks did not show difference in thermal comfort compared with wearing one layered socks; Layered wearing acryl socks maintained warmer temperature rather than wearing two layered cotton socks; Thermal sensation and humidity sensation were better wearing heated socks than wearing cotton socks. The results of thermal manikin test also showed the effectiveness of heated socks in slowing the fall in foot temperature and could be considered as cold protective footwear. |