Infrared imaging analysis of hand skin temperature for thermal comfort assessment

Abstract

Thermal comfort is a subjective sensation of the mind and body which expresses a level of satisfaction with the thermal environment. For years thermal comfort has been studied and external variables such as air temperature and relative humidity have been monitored to find the optimum conditions. Predicted mean vote (PMV) is one of the most accepted measures of thennal comfort. However, PMV is a measure of the average response of a large group, satisfying 95% of occupants at best [1]-[4]. This research aims to relate hand skin temperature to perceived thermal comfort in order to individualise the measurement of thermal comfort.