A computer program to calculate mean skin temperature from measurements available from field trials

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Accurate estimation of mean skin temperature is crucial for physiological and environmental studies.
• Field experiments often face challenges with sensor reliability, leading to data loss.
• Existing methods for calculating mean skin temperature may not be robust to incomplete data sets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computational method for estimating mean skin temperature from limited sensor data.
• To create a program that calculates mean body temperature using both skin and core temperature readings.
• To design a flexible program applicable to diverse experimental settings.

Main Methods:

• A Fortran program was developed to address challenges in estimating mean skin temperature.
• The program selects appropriate equations based on available functioning skin temperature probes (from six selected sites).
• Mean body temperature is calculated using available mean skin temperature estimates and rectal temperature data.

Main Results:

• The program successfully calculates mean skin temperature even when some temperature probes fail.
• It integrates rectal temperature to provide a comprehensive mean body temperature estimation.
• The program's modular design allows for easy adaptation to different experimental conditions and data availability.

Conclusions:

• This Fortran program offers a reliable solution for estimating mean skin temperature and mean body temperature in field studies with potential probe malfunctions.
• The adaptability of the program makes it a valuable tool for researchers across various experimental domains.
• The methodology ensures continuous data analysis despite sensor limitations, enhancing the validity of physiological and environmental research.