Validation of Smart Garments for Physiological and Activity-Related Monitoring of Humans in Harsh Environment

Abstract

A set of garments capable of monitoring the physiological, activity - related and environmental parameters of emergency operators during their interventions was developed in a Eu ropean Project called ProeTEX. Th is wor k report s t he res ults of the fie ld tr ials performed with the final prototype release at the APT international Fire Fighting Survival Training Cen tr e in Italy . Four sessions of trials (warm - up, rescue intervention, outdoor fire - fighting intervention and smoky chamber route ) we re performed in harsh environment by 6 professional Fire - Fighters . The operators wore the ProeTEX prototypes and their Heart Rate (HR), Breathing Rate (BR), Body Temperature (BT), External Temperature (ET), Heat Flu x (HF) and GPS speed have been acquired. Percentage of samples out of the physiological range (R % ) of the HR, BR and BT, as well as percentage of samples showing high variability (V % ) of the HR , BR, BT, ET and HF have been processed. Percentage of GPS samples showing artefacts of their ground speed (S % ) have been also computed . The results on the HR, BR and BT signals showed a maximum R % of 2.0, 7.8 and 8.5 respectively, as well as a maximum V % of 14.0, 10.0, 0.2, respectively. Concerning the ET and HH data, a V % lower than 0.0 and 2.9, respectively, was found . Finally, the highest detected value of S % of the GPS speed was 3.5 in all the trials. On the whole the se results show ed the efficacy of the ProeTEX wearab le system and its capability of rea l - time and continuous ly monitoring the rescuers while they perform even highly intense activities in harsh environmental conditi ons .