Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

New functions and applications of Walter, the sweating fabric manikin

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, latest developments on Walter, a sweating fabric manikin, are reported. These include the improved simulation of “walking motion”, the design and construction of an automated water supply, and real-time measurement of evaporative water loss and regulation of “skin” temperature through the regulation of the pumps inside the manikin body. Testing of commercial garment ensembles showed that the measurement of thermal insulation and moisture-vapour resistance of clothing is very reproducible with the coefficient of variation being generally less than 5%. It was also shown that, in addition to the thermal insulation and moisture-vapour resistance, the percentage of moisture accumulation within clothing is a very useful parameter of clothing comfort. The improved manikin has been used to investigate the effects of walking motion on thermal insulation and evaporative resistance of clothing. The trend of the effects of walking speed up to 1.13 m s−1 for the nude manikin and when it was wearing garments of different sizes are reported.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6a–c
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Fan J, Chen YS (2002) Measurement of clothing thermal insulation and moisture vapour permeability using a novel perspiring fabric thermal manikin. Meas Sci Technol 13:1115–1123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldman R (2002) E MAX and the heated, sweating and walking manikin. Proceedings of the 10th international conference on environmental ergonomics, Fukuoka, Japan, 23–27 September 2002, pp 447–450

  • Holmer I (1999) Thermal manikins in research and standards. Proceedings of international meetings on thermal manikin testing (3IMM), Stockholm, October 1999, pp 1–7

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    Jintu Fan & Xiaoming Qian

Authors
  1. Jintu Fan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaoming Qian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jintu Fan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fan, J., Qian, X. New functions and applications of Walter, the sweating fabric manikin. Eur J Appl Physiol 92, 641–644 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1134-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1134-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation