The Use of Wireless Data Communication and Body Sensing Devices to Evaluate Occupants’ Comfort in Buildings

Physiological parameters measured by an embedded body sensor system were demonstratedto respond to changes of the air temperature in an office environment. The thermal parameterswere monitored with the use of a wireless sensor system that made possible to turn anyexisting room into a field laboratory. Two human subjects were monitored over dailyactivities and at various steady-state thermal conditions when the air temperature of the roomwas altered from 22-23C to 25-28C. The subjects indicated their thermal feeling onquestionnaires. The measured skin temperature was distributed close to the calculated meanskin temperature corresponding to the given activity level. The variation of Galvanic SkinResponse (GSR) reflected the evaporative heat loss through the body surfaces and indicatedwhether sweating occurred on the subjects. Further investigations are needed to fully evaluatethe influence of thermal and other factors on the output given by the investigated body sensorsystem.