Comfort testing of other textile products

As a final test sequence, to evaluate all performance aspects of a military uniform for a cold environment, subject wearing trials are conducted in a climatic chamber that simulates realistic temperatures and physical activity/metaboUc rates. The subject is equipped with numerous temperature and humidity sensors on the skin that judge his or her subjective thermal and moisture sensation as weU as the resulting overall comfort in distinct time periods and varying conditions. The subjective perceptions of the wearer and the measured temperature and moisture data are compared and subsequently correlated with the data from the Skin Model and thermal manikin. This fully validates the wear trials. 

Military uniforms for cold environments can be designed for specific climatic conditions and physical activity using existing test procedures and standards. The thermal insulation and the water vapor resistance of the whole garment are important. A low water vapor resistance ensures sweat evaporation and results in a dry insulation layer, and thus less heat loss. The improved overall comfort ensures the mental and physical performance of the soldier in extremely cold environments. 

Clothing physiology is not only important for military uniforms, but also for bed linens and duvets for improving the sleep comfort of soldiers. Apart from such comfort reasons, a shivering soldier is not able to successfully aim at a target and 

Sleeping bags should optimally support the thermoregulation of the soldier in any environment. A sleeping soldier s body produces heat—the equivalent of an SOW heater. However, this heat is lost via convection, conduction, sweat evaporation, radiation, and respiration. In a comfortable sleeping bag, heat production, and heat loss are in equilibrium. This produces optimum sleeping comfort. If heat generation and heat loss are not in equilibrium, soldiers may sleep poorly, or in the worst case, in colder environments, frost bite and hypothermia may occur. 

Helicopter pilot suits for offshore applications often show reduced thermal comfort as well as lack of ventilation. This thermal stress, also induced with the high cockpit temperatures, may lead to reduced time to fatigue and thus occurrence of accidents. The Hohenstein thermal manikin Charlie and the Skin Model allow for an objective assessment and optimization of breathability and thermal resistance of the same. 

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