A model of the controller responses of the human temperature regulating system to changes in air temperature

Abstract

The objective of this study is to develop models of the controller mechanism of the human temperature regulating system. The emphasis of this research is on controller response to changes in air temperature. The controller responses are: changes in metabolic heat production; changes in evaporative heat loss; and alterations in surface blood flow. Time series modeling procedures are used to develop both univariate and transfer function models for metabolic heat production and evaporative heat loss. Because of the nature of the available data for surface blood flow, time series models are not developed for this controller response. The models developed for the controller mechanism are validated in the context of a complete simulation model. The simulation model is modified to include the controller models derived in this study, and it is then used to simulate published experiments. Comparisons of simulated rectal and skin temperatures and the corresponding experimental values are made by inspecting the plots of predicted and experimental values vs time, and by performing statistical tests on the actual and simulated series. The results of the validation procedure show that the controller model developed for air temperature response is statistically valid.