Research facilities
Our reserach facilities span a research laboratory within the Clinical Academic Facility of the University of Southampton, which we share with the PressureLab (PI Dr Pete Worsley) within the Skin Sensing Research Group, and a climatic chamber within the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at University Hospital Southampton that allows accurate control of ambient temperature and humidity for the simulation of hot, cold, and humid environments.
Thermosenselab hosts high-precision equipment and sensors for the measurement of:
• Human thermometry and calorimetry – skin (thermocouple and thermistors) and core temperature (gastrointestinal and rectal) sensors, skin wetness sensors (hygrometers), infrared thermal cameras, metabolic cart (Cosmed).
• Cardiovascular responses – Laser Doppler Flowmetry, exercise blood pressure and heart rate monitoring (Tango system), optical coherence tomography of microvascular plexus.
• Quantitative thermo- and & mechano-sensory testing – 2x thermal probes of various sizes for body mapping of thermal and wetness sensitivity; custom built thermo-mechanical probes with continuous skin blood flow and pressure monitoring (BrassMonkey); thermo-friction rig for evaluation of skin-textile interaction; Von Fry’s monofilaments for tactile sensitivity mapping.
• Climatic chamber – 20m2 chamber with air temperature (range 5 to 45℃) and relative humidity control (range: 20-90%).
• Water perfused suit – full body suit with water heater and reservoir for passive heat and cold stress studies.
• Exercise ergometers – running treadmill and semi-recumbent Lode Corivial cycle ergometer.
Thermosenselab hosts high-precision equipment and sensors for the measurement of:
• Human thermometry and calorimetry – skin (thermocouple and thermistors) and core temperature (gastrointestinal and rectal) sensors, skin wetness sensors (hygrometers), infrared thermal cameras, metabolic cart (Cosmed).
• Cardiovascular responses – Laser Doppler Flowmetry, exercise blood pressure and heart rate monitoring (Tango system), optical coherence tomography of microvascular plexus.
• Quantitative thermo- and & mechano-sensory testing – 2x thermal probes of various sizes for body mapping of thermal and wetness sensitivity; custom built thermo-mechanical probes with continuous skin blood flow and pressure monitoring (BrassMonkey); thermo-friction rig for evaluation of skin-textile interaction; Von Fry’s monofilaments for tactile sensitivity mapping.
• Climatic chamber – 20m2 chamber with air temperature (range 5 to 45℃) and relative humidity control (range: 20-90%).
• Water perfused suit – full body suit with water heater and reservoir for passive heat and cold stress studies.
• Exercise ergometers – running treadmill and semi-recumbent Lode Corivial cycle ergometer.
Climatic chamber (NIHR Clinical Research Facility Southampton)
Our Climatic Chamber allows for precise control of ambient temperature within the range +5 to +42ºC, and of relative humidity (10 - 90%)
Research laboratory (Clinical Academic Facility)
Our modular research laboratory allows for concurrent performance of multiple human studies
(3D model credit: Bilge Kobas @ http://bitsnbricks.com/982-2/)
(3D model credit: Bilge Kobas @ http://bitsnbricks.com/982-2/)
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