Extreme heat is a deadly threat that is getting worse with climate change. In 2022, more than 400 people died from heat-related causes in Maricopa County, Arizona, a record high. But how can we prevent such tragedies and protect vulnerable populations from the scorching sun?
A team of scientists at Arizona State University (ASU) has developed a unique tool to answer this question: a walking robot that mimics human thermoregulation, or the ability to maintain a stable body temperature.
The robot, named ANDI, is the world’s first outdoor thermal manikin that can generate heat, sweat, shiver, walk and breathe like a human. It is equipped with synthetic pores for artificial sweating, temperature and heat flux sensors across 35 different surface areas covering its body, and a novel internal cooling channel.
ANDI can be programmed to simulate different people based on age, weight, health conditions and clothing. By exposing ANDI to various heat scenarios in the lab and in the field, the researchers can measure how different factors affect its thermal comfort and stress.
‘You can’t put humans in dangerous extreme heat situations and test what would happen,’ said Jenni Vanos, an associate professor at ASU’s School of Sustainability and an atmospheric scientist. ‘But there are situations we know of in the Valley where people are dying of heat, and we still don’t fully understand what happened. ANDI can help us figure that out.’
One of the goals of the project is to find ways to design more resilient communities and infrastructure in the face of rising temperatures. For example, ANDI can help test the effectiveness of different cooling strategies, such as shade structures, misting systems or reflective pavements.
Another goal is to improve public health interventions and policies to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths. For instance, ANDI can help identify the most vulnerable groups and the best practices to stay cool and hydrated.
‘A diabetes patient has different thermal regulation from a healthy person,’ said Ankit Joshi, a research scientist at ASU who leads the modeling work that goes into ANDI. ‘So we can account for all this modification with our customized models.’
ANDI is not alone in its mission. It works alongside MaRTy, another ASU robot that measures the biometeorological conditions of the environment, such as air temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation.
Together, ANDI and MaRTy provide a comprehensive picture of how humans interact with their surroundings in extreme heat. The data they collect can help inform decision-makers, planners, designers and health professionals on how to adapt to a hotter future.
‘You don’t want to run a lot of these [tests] with a real person,’ said Konrad Rykaczewski, a professor at ASU who oversees ANDI’s development. ‘It’s unethical and would be dangerous.’
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