Simulation of perspiration in sweating fabric manikin-Walter

Abstract

Thermal manikins are essential tools for the comfort evaluation of the thermal environment and clothing as well as research into the dynamics of heat and moisture transfer from the human body to the environment - a foundation for thermal physiology and environmental engineering. Since the development of the first non-sweating, single segment copper thermal manikin by the US Army in 1940s, there have been numerous developments worldwide in thermal manikin technologies. Nevertheless, the simulation of perspiration has continued to be one of the major challenges. Inspired by the thermoregulation system of the human body, a novel sweating fabric manikin nicknamed "Walter" has been developed in Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The new sweating manikin achieved perspiration over the entire body and a very high measurement accuracy (viz. a CV of less 5%), yet with a cost of only a small fraction of other sweating manikins developed so far.