Yamakoshi Takehiro, Matsumura Kenta, Rolfe Peter, Tanaka Naoto, Yamakoshi Yasuhiro, Takahashi Kiichi
School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
Aviat Space Environ Med. 2013 Jul;84(7):692-700. doi: 10.3357/asem.3542.2013.
We report a new methodology for detecting heat illness based on continuous tympanic temperature monitoring. This is relevant to industrial workers, astronauts, and pilots, as well as athletes. Here we evaluate the method in Grand Touring (GT) car racers in the closed-cockpit category who can face life-threatening hyperthermia.
The system comprises an earpiece containing an infrared-radiation-type tympanic thermometer and a microspeaker. In 10 healthy subjects, using a temperature-controlled water bath in the laboratory, we determined the differences in measurements taken from an infrared thermometer in one ear canal and from a thermistor probe in the other ear canal for direct tympanic temperature measurement. We employed an ingestible telemetry pill for gastrointestinal temperature measurement as a reference of core temperature. Then we assessed the usefulness of the system under real racing conditions with two professional drivers in the 2010 Super GT International Series held at the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan.
The results showed a good correlation between the infrared tympanic temperature and both the direct one (r = 0.985) and the gastrointestinal temperature (r = 0.932). The mean difference between these temperatures was +0.01 degree C and +0.27 degrees C, with 95% confidence intervals (equal to 1.96 SD) of 0.30 degrees C and 0.58 degrees C, respectively. As for the field test, the system functioned well during real competitive and extremely severe race conditions on the racing circuit.
The new method was found to perform well in an extreme car racing setting. It has the potential to be used in other applications, including the industrial and aerospace sectors.
我们报告了一种基于连续鼓膜温度监测来检测热疾病的新方法。这与产业工人、宇航员、飞行员以及运动员都相关。在此，我们在封闭驾驶舱类别的格兰披治大赛车（GT）赛车手中评估该方法，这类车手可能面临危及生命的体温过高情况。
该系统包括一个含有红外辐射型鼓膜温度计和一个微型扬声器的耳塞。在10名健康受试者中，我们在实验室使用控温水浴，确定了在一个耳道中用红外温度计测量与在另一个耳道中用热敏电阻探头直接测量鼓膜温度的差异。我们采用可摄入式遥测药丸测量胃肠道温度作为核心体温的参考。然后，在日本铃鹿赛道举行的2010年超级GT国际系列赛中，我们让两名职业车手在实际比赛条件下评估该系统的实用性。
结果显示红外鼓膜温度与直接测量的鼓膜温度（r = 0.985）以及胃肠道温度（r = 0.932）之间具有良好的相关性。这些温度之间的平均差异分别为 +0.01摄氏度和 +0.27摄氏度，95%置信区间（等于1.96标准差）分别为0.30摄氏度和0.58摄氏度。至于现场测试，该系统在赛车场实际竞争且极其严酷的比赛条件下运行良好。
发现这种新方法在极端赛车环境中表现良好。它有潜力应用于其他领域，包括工业和航空航天领域。
