Micro-environment controllable temperature and humidity system and method for evaluating heat and humidity comfort level of textiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sleep laboratory devices can only control the temperature and humidity of the environment, not the micro-environment around the human body, which is crucial for evaluating the comfort level of textiles during sleep, as body regions have varying blood flow and skin temperatures, affecting comfort differently.
Innovation Solution
A micro-environment controllable temperature and humidity system with a bed-shaped partitioned platform and temperature and humidity control machines, along with sensors and a central controller, allows for partitioned control of temperature and humidity around the body, including physiological and psychological data collection to evaluate comfort levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If only environmental temperature and humidity are controlled, then the overall sleep environment is stable, but the micro-environment around different body regions cannot be regulated to match varying skin temperatures and blood flow patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The bed platform is divided into multiple independent temperature and humidity control sections, each capable of regulating micro-environmental conditions for specific body regions. This segmentation allows different zones to be customized according to the varying thermal and humidity needs of different body parts, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and system complexity by making the system modular and region-specific rather than uniformly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
Each control section is equipped with independent temperature and humidity sensors and control machines that locally regulate conditions based on real-time measurements. This local quality approach ensures that each body region receives precisely tailored micro-environmental conditions without requiring the entire system to be overly complex, as only local adjustments are made rather than global control.
2Measurement precision
If partitioned temperature and humidity control is implemented for different body regions, then the comfort level evaluation becomes precise, but the device complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Each control section incorporates temperature and humidity sensors that continuously monitor local conditions and feed this data back to control machines. This feedback mechanism enables automatic adjustment of micro-environmental parameters in each zone, achieving high measurement precision for comfort evaluation while reducing the need for complex manual control systems, as the system self-regulates based on sensor input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own sensors and control machines to automatically regulate each zone's temperature and humidity without external intervention. This self-service capability allows the partitioned control system to maintain precise measurements while minimizing operational complexity, as the system manages its own regulation rather than requiring complex external control mechanisms.
3Loss of information
If multiple sensors and control machines are deployed for partitioned control, then data collection comprehensiveness improves, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensors and control machines across different zones are merged into a single centralized control system that manages all sections uniformly. This merging allows comprehensive data collection from all body regions while simplifying operation, as the user interacts with one integrated system rather than multiple separate devices, resolving the contradiction between information comprehensiveness and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed with multi-functionality to handle temperature and humidity regulation across all zones through a single interface. This universal control mechanism enables the system to collect comprehensive data from multiple sensors while maintaining ease of operation, as the same control system performs multiple functions across different regions rather than requiring separate controls for each zone.
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
This system comprehensively evaluates the sleep heat and humidity comfort level of textiles by controlling micro-environmental conditions and collecting data from various body regions, providing both objective and subjective assessments, thereby overcoming limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
one or more temperature and humidity control machines in communication with the one or more temperature and humidity control sections respectively for supplying air with a pre-set temperature and humidity
Implementation Method 2
one or more temperature and humidity control machines in communication with the one or more temperature and humidity control sections respectively for supplying air with a pre-set temperature and humidity
Implementation Method 3
a physiological index sensor (51) for collecting physiological data
Implementation Method 4
an acceleration sensor (52) for collecting data of the body position and the activity amount
Implementation Method 5
one or more sleep temperature and humidity sensors (8) for collecting the micro-environment temperature and humidity
Data Source
AI summary
A micro-environment controllable temperature and humidity system evaluates heat and humidity comfort level of textiles. The system includes a bed-shaped partitioned platform having one or more non-temperature and humidity-controllable sections and one or more temperature and humidity controllable sections. One or more temperature and humidity control machine is in communication with the one or more temperature and humidity control sections for supplying air with a pre-set temperature and humidity. A central controller electrically is connected to the one or more temperature and humidity control machines. The micro-environment controllable temperature and humidity system can perform partitioned control on the temperature and humidity in a micro-environment during sleep, and is used for studying the influence of the temperature and humidity on the comfort level of different regions of a subject.