A review on thermal comfort evaluation of head-worn devices

Abstract

Head-worn devices are widely used in both work and leisure. Previous studies have showed that thermal discomfort would arise with usage of head-worn devices. The present study conducted a literature review on thermal comfort/discomfort evaluation on head-worn devices to obtain a more complete understanding of the topic. The type of devices, research method, thermal comfort parameters and thermal effects of wearing headgear were examined and summarized. It is suggested that when evaluating thermal comfort of hear-worn devices, objective and subjective methods should be triangulated, and more controlled experiment is needed. The review provides a better methodological and empirical understanding of current research on thermal comfort of head-worn devices, which will facilitate product evaluation and product design improvement in industry.