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Thermal physiology and psychophysics are complex and nuanced, with significant variability between individuals. Wearable devices have the potential to offer customizable microclimate control. However, individual experiences with different supplemental heating strategies are likely to vary considerably in unconstrained environments. The physiological responses, psychophysical effects, and qualitative experiences of participants using five readily available heating strategies were collected in a quasi-field study environment ( n=17). Although all devices maintained or increased fingertip temperature, effects observed from controlled studies of thermal physiology are not clearly seen. Physiological, perceptual, and experiential data are presented, exploring heating technologies and thermal comfort in typical indoor environments. 

Abstract Heating devices offer particular benefits in cold climates and to those with thermoregulatory or vasospastic disorders, like Reynaud’s syndrome. Heating devices can be used to moderate a wearer’s microclimate to alleviate thermal discomfort and pain, especially in the distal extremities where thermal sensitivity is the highest. Applying insulation on top of wearables with heating components can reduce both heat lost to the environment, as well as power needs for maintaining thermal comfort. Here, we evaluated one stitched, heated textile garment with eight textile insulation materials to assess heat propagation (measured by five thermistors on a mannequin hand and one in the surrounding, enclosed environment) and wearability (measured from tests of fabric weight, thickness, flexural rigidity, and permeance). Results find energy conserved by all materials, but wearability drawbacks for some strong insulators. Thicker materials generally had higher insulative properties, and reduced heat propagation to the indirect heating regions, specifically the finger and thumb. Additionally, heat propagation through to the environment was stronger than to the finger and thumb.