Laboratory
The Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory is situated at the Lees Avenue campus of the University of Ottawa (see map)
Studies conducted are either:
- i) Laboratory-based (controlled conditions)
ii) Field-based (e.g. athletes); or
iii) Hospital-based (at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa)
Equipment in the Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory includes:
For laboratory-based studies
- Climate controlled chamber: Air temperature: +2.0˚C to +42.5˚C (±0.5°C); Absolute humidity: 5.0 to 41.5 Torr (±0.2 Torr)
- Simultaneous dew point hygrometry (Viasala) at 3 sites measuring local sweat rate, sweat gland expulsion rate and sweat gland expulsion volume
- Simultaneous core temperature measurements at 3 sites (esophageal, rectal and tympanic membrane)
- 9-point skin temperature and local heat flow measurements
- 2-site Laser-Doppler skin blood flow measurements
- Whole-body sweat loss measurements to the nearest 1 g
- Breath-by-breath metabolic cart (Vmax) measuring human ventilation, oxygen consumption, metabolic heat production
- Semi-recumbent cycle ergometer
- Upright cycle ergometer
- Temperature controlled room (+10˚C to +40˚C)
- Solar radiation simulator (100 to 550 W/m2)
- Pyranometer (Kipp & Zonen)
- High speed data acquisition system (National Instruments)
- Liquid-conditioned cooling/heating garment (+5˚C to +40˚C)
- Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)*
* Through collaboration with Behavioural Metabolic Research Unit (Dr. E. Doucet)
For field studies
- Ambulatory oxygen consumption and metabolic rate measurements system (COSMED k4b2)
- Wireless core temperature telemetry system with ingestible temperature "pills" (HQ Inc)
- Wireless skin temperature system (ibuttons)
- Portable data acquisition system
- Portable refractometer for measure urine specific gravity
- Portable ambient environmental monitoring system (air velocity, radiant temperature, air temperature and ambient humidity)
- Technical absorbent local sweat rate measurement system
For children's hospital-based studies
- Whole-body evaporative heat loss measurements (to the nearest 0.01 g)
- 6-point skin temperature and local heat flow measurements
- 2-site Laser-Doppler skin blood flow measurements
- Breath-by-breath metabolic cart measuring ventilation, oxygen consumption and metabolic heat production
- Multi-site core temperature measurement system (nasophyarungeal, distal esophageal, rectal, tympanic membrane, and axillary
- High speed data acquisition system (National Instruments)
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