Visual and Acoustic Effects of Human Thermal Comfort and Perception in a Micro-Climatically Steady Environment

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand how environmental factors influence comfort and health. The main question it aims to answer is: * do temperature, visuals, and sounds affect a person's physiology and perception? Participants will watch short videos in 2 different climate-controlled environments and provide feedback on their thermal experiences.

Participants will engage in a series of sessions in a climate-controlled environment, where researchers will manipulate temperature, visuals, and sounds to study their effects on various physiological measurements, including blood pressure, pulse rate, core temperature, and skin temperature. The study will take place in two distinct chambers, with each chamber designed to allow for precise control of environmental variables. Participants will be asked to watch short video clips in different thermal environments and provide feedback on their thermal experiences.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Conditions

Thermal Perception

Interventions

Visual stimulationOTHER

Participants will watch a 10-minute snow- or fire-themed video

Acoustic stimulationOTHER

Participants will listen to a natural sound from fire burning or snow falling

CombinationOTHER

Participants will undergo both visual and acoustic stimulation

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 40 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-40 years * BMI between 18-27.5 kg/m² * No history of color blindness or sensory impairments * Normal chronotype (consistent sleep-wake patterns) * Must have lived in or near Guangzhou, China for at least two months prior to participation Exclusion Criteria: * Children (age under 18), elders (age \> 60) * People with obesity * People with a history of color blindness * People without a consistent sleep-awake pattern * People with limited English proficiency

Locations (1)

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in thermal perception

Thermal comfort will be assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) to measure perceptions of thermal sensation, preference, comfort, pleasantness, and self-perceived shivering. The thermal acceptance of the environment will be rated on a binary scale (acceptable/unacceptable).