USAMRMC
Military
Operational
Medicine
Research
Program

MOMRP Home

Overview

Lab Locations and Capabilities

Environmental Medicine and Bioenergetics

Neuropsychological Stress and Performance

Injury Sciences and Systems Hazards

Army Science and Technology Objective: IV.ME.2000.02

Problem

Soldiers encounter heat stress in every training and operational environment. Heat stress is imposed by a combination of climate, physical work rate, clothing, and equipment. Heat strain degrades military (physical and mental) performance and induces heat injury. Objective Force operational requirements will accentuate heat stress as an operational threat by demanding sustained work rates and rapid deployment with minimal time for acclimatization. Heat acclimatization markedly reduces physiologic strain, thereby enhancing operational effectiveness, and improves protection of vital organs.

Medical Research Solution

Engineering attempts to enhance liquid microclimate cooling capabilities include reducing the coolant temperature and increasing flow, both of which increase power requirements. From a physiologic perspective, these engineering approaches may be self-defeating. Skin cooling will produce skin constriction, increasing thermal resistance, which decreases conductive heat transfer. This research explores two physiologic approaches (intermittent cooling and local vasodilators) to overcome this vasoconstriction to enhance heat flux with microclimate cooling.

Products

• Design guidance to improve the effectiveness of microclimate cooling (greater cooling capabilities and reduced power requirements)
• Strategies to make soldiers more resistant to heat injury/stroke.

Last Update: April 2, 2003