Adaptive Physiological Strain Index for Personalized Heat Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for assessing heat strain in individuals working in hot environments fail to account for individual differences such as acclimation status, fitness, body composition, and the type of protective clothing worn.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates an adaptive physiological strain index (aPSI) using a combination of heart rate, skin temperature, and body core temperature, taking into account the individual's age, fitness level, and protective clothing to provide a personalized assessment of heat strain risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If environmental monitoring alone is used to assess heat strain, then the assessment is simple, but it fails to account for individual differences such as acclimation status, fitness, body composition, and clothing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple physiological parameters (skin temperature, heart rate, body core temperature) with environmental factors and individual characteristics into a unified adaptive physiological strain index. This merging approach allows the system to account for individual differences while providing a comprehensive heat strain assessment that environmental monitoring alone cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptive physiological strain index serves multiple functions: it assesses heat strain risk, accounts for individual differences (age, fitness, acclimation status), and provides personalized recommendations. This multi-functional approach allows a single system to handle both environmental and individual-specific factors without requiring separate assessment tools.
2Measurement precision
If multiple physiological variables are monitored to account for individual differences, then the accuracy of heat strain assessment improves, but the complexity of the monitoring system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges skin temperature, heart rate, and body core temperature measurements into a single adaptive physiological strain index calculation. This consolidation approach maintains measurement precision by incorporating multiple physiological variables while reducing the complexity of interpreting and managing separate monitoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors physiological parameters and provides feedback through the adaptive physiological strain index, which dynamically adjusts based on real-time data. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain high assessment accuracy while simplifying the user interface and reducing the complexity of data management through automated processing.
3Reliability
If a personalized assessment considering age, fitness, and protective clothing is provided, then the reliability of heat illness prediction improves, but the complexity of data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts physiological parameters and their weighting in the adaptive physiological strain index calculation based on individual characteristics such as age, fitness level, and protective clothing. This parameter adaptation approach improves the reliability of heat illness prediction by tailoring the assessment to each individual while using standardized calculation methods to manage data processing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The aPSI system effectively assesses the risk of heat-related illnesses by providing a personalized strain index that considers individual and environmental factors, enabling timely interventions to prevent heat-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heart rate sensor configured to be attached to or placed on a person
Implementation Method 2
at least one temperature sensor configured to detect a skin temperature of the person
Implementation Method 3
body core temperature determined based on the heart rate from the at least one heart rate sensor
Implementation Method 4
temperature gradient between the skin temperature from the at least one temperature sensor and a body core temperature
Data Source
AI summary
The invention in at least one embodiment includes a system and method for detecting and evaluating an adaptive physiological strain index (aPSI) of an individual with a processor and in a further embodiment taking into account the fitness, age and clothing of the individual based upon physiology. The invention in at least one embodiment includes a system and method to calculate the aPSI using physiological measures. In at least one embodiment, the method obtains an individual's skin temperature and heart rate in order to calculate the individual's aPSI.