Local thermal comfort with electric heating cushions and foot warmers

Uses electric heating cushions and foot warmers to heat feet, thighs and buttock, and analyses the change of local thermal sensation and comfort and the relationship between the local and the overall feelings. The results indicate that electric heating cushions and foot warmers can improve the local and overall thermal comfort significantly. The thermal sensation of feet, thighs and buttock is obviously improved as the surface temperatures of electric heating cushions and foot warmers increase. The thermal sensation vote of feet is higher than those of thighs and buttock，while thighs have greatest influence on overall thermal sensation and comfort at 16 ℃ and 18 ℃ of environment temperature. In uneven cold environment, local thermal comfort is improved when local thermal sensation is above thermal neutral, while overall thermal comfort is improved when overall thermal sensation is close to thermal neutral.