Periodic Report Summary - PROSPIE (Protective Responsive Outer Shell for People in Industrial Environments) Project context and objectives: The objectives of PROSPIE are summarised below. O1.1: Development of dynamic cooling system O1.2: Integration of a dynamic cooling system in personal protective equipment (PPE) O2.1: Integration of sensors in PPE to measure essential body parameters and the environmental (work place) conditions O3.1: Development of a decision algorithm to establish the physical condition of the wearer of PPE during work O4.1: the development of integral safe PPE O5.1: industrial production of the PROSPIE protective clothing O5.2: Test protocols for safe use of the protective clothing O6.1: establishing the performance of the PPE under real conditions: technological performance and acceptance by the users O7.1: Standardisation of the PPE (textile aspects, electronic protocols, decision algorithm) O7.2: Training module for the proper use, care and maintenance of this advanced PPE Project results: The project started with development of salts that can absorb moisture and simultaneously generate only a minimal amount of heat (WP1). In this way more sweat can evaporate from the skin and cooling can be enhanced. Also, a warning system was developed triggered by temperature and humidity sensors in the underwear and outerwear (WP2). A successful demonstration was given by IFAK in December 2010. The system is wireless: the information was shown on a standalone laptop. The criteria for generating the warning are investigated in WP3. A literature review revealed that core temperatures above 38.5 °C should generate the alarm, both for the user and a central warning. In order to come with acceptable solutions, the core temperature had to be estimated using non-invasive methods. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in 21 subjects under a variety of ambient conditions in two different garments in which core temperature was estimated on the basis of temperature and humidity sensors at the skin and in the garments. The analysis revealed that skin temperature alone was not sufficient to estimate core temperature accurately. However, using multiple linear regression, a standard error of about 0.3 °C can be achieved in combination with the Fiala model. The results are encouraging and show that core temperature may be estimated indirectly. A start is made to integrate the results of WP 1, 2 and 3. An industrial designer will play a major role and the focus will be on human factors aspects. In the mean time, the first separate parts (cooling and warning system) have been shown on several occasions including the PPE conference in Brussels organised by Euratex en the Smart Textile Salon in Ghent, organised by the EU project SYSTEX. Positive feedback has been received and interest is expressed by many researchers and companies. In numbers the progress in work in defined as per schedule in the enclosed pdf. The results can be summarised as follows: - Identification of a combination of salts that absorp moisture when relative humidity is high without generating much heat (patent applied for). - Identification of thresholds (in core temperature) above which humans cannot sustain work: 38.5 °C. - Improvement of a thermophysiological model (Fiala model), in particular the anthropometric background and the link with sensors on the human skin. - Encapsulation of the salts in microcapsules. - Construction of a wireless warning system based on temperature and humidity sensors. The system was demonstrated in December 2010. - A description of the industries that may benefit from a cooling / warning system, in particular the road construction and metal melting industry. - Validation and determination of the accuracy of the sensors intended for use in the PROSPIE system. - A study in which the relation between core temperature and other sensors in underwear and protective system is investigated for 21 subjects. - First validation of the model to the measurements in the subjects: the models seem to predict with a standard error of the mean of about 0.3 °C. - First description of how the integrated system may be constructed. Potential impact: The exploitable results were identified during and after the exploitation strategy seminar (ESS) and the background / foreground knowledge contribution was taken as a start-point for the quantification of profit share for the identified exploitable results. 14 main exploitable results were identified: Exploitable results: 1. Safety criteria and predictors, LU, TNO, Functional specifications 2. Design specifications for protective clothing, Bel-Confect, Design specifications taking into account 3. Protective clothing technical specifications, TNO, Technical specifications (strength, etc.) 4. PROSPIE protective clothing production protocol, TNO, Production guidelines and protocols 5. Dynamic model therm. physical worker, ErgonSim, Simulation and modelling 6. Body sensors, TNO, Body sensors 7. Workplace sensors, Humanikin, Environmental sensors 8. Dynamic cooling system, Capzo, TNO, EMPA, LTI, Dynamic cooling of body under thermal stress 9. Smart system, TNO, Humanikin, Intelligent system 10. Integrated PROSPIE system, All that worked on it, the complete system 11. Data transfer safety systems, Ifak, Data transferring system (9SW) 12. Validated demo of integrated PROSPIE system for various applications, TNO, LU, Important for demonstration and marketing 13. Industrial training protocols and courses, TNO, Both for production and use 14. Academic training materials, LU, Important to disseminate to students for future identification. Most partners indicated that result 10, the integrated PROSPIE systems, was the most attractive system to bring to the market. It contains the combined expertise. Belconfect is the partner that will make the final product, while Pakaita will deliver the instrumented underwear. Project website: http://www.prospie.eu
