40
Simple Physiology (temperature)
Subject: Biology/Environmental studies
Sensor: HiTemp temperature sensor
Aim:
To show how you can use the HiTemp temperature sensor of the Voyager to monitor skin temperature on the human body.
Overview:
This simple procedure can be used to discuss how the body keeps cool during exercise or simply a method to show how exercise effects the skin
temperature on different parts of the body. For this example, we measured the skin temperature of the hand of a volunteer who was painting a large
room but this procedure can easily be adapted for other forms of exercise. The human body regulates its temperature by allowing water (sweat) to
evaporate from the surface of the skin carrying away heat. This simple experiment looks at skin temperature but can be linked with the ‘Cooling by
Evaporation’ experiment (see page 20) to form an investigation into how the human body regulates its temperature.
Equipment required:
LogIT Voyager
1 Temperature sensor
Surgical tape to fix the sensor to the skin
Small piece of cotton wool
Hazards:
DO NOT CONNECT THE DATALOGGER TO THE COMPUTER.
If an exercise is being performed, make sure it is appropriate for the student.
Check that the tape used will not cause any allergic reactions to the user.
Ensure the datalogger cannot come into contact with water or damp.
Always check your local regulations or the school advisory service such as
CLEAPSS or SSERC for guidance on the use of any hazardous material or source.
Setup:
1. If necessary, run the temperature sensor cable down the sleeve of the users top.
2. Plug the sensor into Voyager.
3. Leaving enough slack in the sensor’s cable, attach the sensor to the skin using surgical tape.
Note: If you are performing a fairly rigorous exercise and the skin becomes damp with perspiration, it is a good idea to wrap the tape
around the hand completely to prevent the tape sliding off. Remember to do this lightly to prevent cutting off circulation as the sensor
