Search Results (13)

Global warming and increasing heatwaves elevate the risk of exertional heat illnesses, particularly heatstroke, in endurance athletes and outdoor workers. This study developed and validated a wearable heatstroke warning system integrating physiological and environmental monitoring with a real-time web dashboard. The wrist- and finger-worn prototype comprised an ESP32 microcontroller and heart rate (MAX30101), skin temperature (MAX30205), ambient temperature and humidity (SHT31), and galvanic skin response (Grove-GSR v1.2) sensors with dual acoustic–visual alerts and WiFi transmission. Fifteen triathletes (18–39 years) completed 30 min of cycling in a climatic chamber: 0–15 min at 24 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 10% RH, and 16–30 min at 27 ± 1 °C, 90 ± 10% RH, with the workload rising from 40%HRmax by 10% every 10 min. Heart rate, estimated core temperature, ambient temperature, relative humidity, and GSR were recorded every 30 s and compared with standard devices using Spearman correlation (p = 0.01) and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (p < 0.05). Heart rate, skin temperature (used a linear model to calculate core body temperature), ambient temperature, and humidity sensors showed fair–very good validity (r = 0.692, 0.995, 0.994, 0.952), while GSR was low (r = 0.298). No significant differences were observed for heart rate, skin temperature, and humidity (p > 0.05), but body temperature (p = 0.003) and GSR (p < 0.001) differed. The system showed promising validity for real-time heatstroke risk monitoring, with further refinement needed for skin temperature and GSR sensing. Full article

This paper presents the development and evaluation of an IoT-enabled smart helmet designed to enhance worker safety and site productivity in high-risk construction environments. The primary objective is to mitigate fall-related and heat-related risks commonly faced by laborers in the Gulf region. The proposed system integrates GPS, temperature–humidity (DHT11), and motion sensors (MPU6050 gyroscope and accelerometer) into a compact, wearable unit capable of real-time data transmission. A key technological novelty is the embedded fall detection mechanism, which analyzes sudden movement patterns to trigger instant alerts, enhancing response times during critical incidents. A fall detection algorithm was developed to identify abnormal movement patterns and trigger instant alerts, while continuous temperature monitoring addresses risks of heat stress in extreme climatic conditions such as Dubai, where temperatures exceed 45 °C. Field trials and simulations confirmed the feasibility of the system, demonstrating reliable data transmission, accurate fall detection, and effective remote monitoring. The solution is coupled with a rental-based business model, making it cost-effective and scalable for contractors. The findings suggest that the proposed helmet provides a practical and scalable safety solution. Full article

It is critical to inform the public of the threat heat poses to health and provide actionable guidance on mitigating this risk before, during, and after heat events. To help educate the public during heat events, Health Canada works closely with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to distribute heat-health messaging through a weather warning system. However, the warning system’s current list of messages dates back over a decade. Continually evaluating and updating messages is critical to ensure they are based on the best evidence available. A review was conducted to assess the existing heat-health messages and propose new messages based on recent empirical studies. The proposed messages were reviewed to ensure that readability and equity considerations were integrated. Academic, public health and meteorology experts across Canada reviewed the proposed messages and applied further revisions. The original list of heat-health messages included 12 messages. Based on the evidence and external reviews provided by 42 experts (academic: n = 9; public health: n = 22; meteorology: n = 11), messages were removed, merged, added and revised. The final list used by ECCC includes 30 messages. Health Canada’s heat-health messages disseminated through ECCC’s weather warning system were revised to ensure they are important, action-oriented, evidence-based, readable, equitable, regionally applicable, and timely. Ensuring these messages reflect current knowledge will be an ongoing and iterative process to support the public’s preparedness efforts to protect themselves and others during heat events. Full article

Early fire detection plays a crucial role in minimizing harm to human life, buildings, and the environment. Traditional fire detection systems struggle with detection in dynamic or complex situations due to slow response and false alarms. Conventional systems are based on smoke, heat, and gas sensors, which often trigger alarms when a fire is in full swing. In order to overcome this, a promising approach is the development of memristor-based gas sensors, known as gasistors, which offer a lightweight design, fast response/recovery, and efficient miniaturization. Recent studies on gasistor-based sensors have demonstrated ultrafast response times as low as 1–2 s, with detection limits reaching sub-ppm levels for gases such as CO, NH₃, and NO₂. Enhanced designs incorporating memristive switching and 2D materials have achieved a sensitivity exceeding 90% and stable operation across a wide temperature range (room temperature to 250 °C). This review highlights key factors in early fire detection, focusing on advanced sensors and their integration with IoT for faster, and more reliable alerts. Here, we introduce gasistor technology, which shows high sensitivity to fire-related gases and operates through conduction filament (CF) mechanisms, enabling its low power consumption, compact size, and rapid recovery. When integrated with machine learning and artificial intelligence, this technology offers a promising direction for future advancements in next-generation early fire detection systems. Full article

Conveyor belts are critical in various industries, particularly in the barrier eddy current separator systems used in recycling processes. However, hidden issues, such as belt misalignment, excessive heat that can lead to fire hazards, and the presence of sharp or irregularly shaped materials, reduce operational efficiency and pose serious threats to the health and safety of personnel on the production floor. This study presents an intelligent monitoring and protection system for barrier eddy current separator conveyor belts designed to safeguard machinery and human workers simultaneously. In this system, a thermal camera continuously monitors the surface temperature of the conveyor belt, especially in the area above the magnetic drum—where unwanted ferromagnetic materials can lead to abnormal heating and potential fire risks. The system detects temperature anomalies in this critical zone. The early detection of these risks triggers audio–visual alerts and IoT-based warning messages that are sent to technicians, which is vital in preventing fire-related injuries and minimizing emergency response time. Simultaneously, a machine vision module autonomously detects and corrects belt misalignment, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing the risk of worker exposure to moving mechanical parts. Additionally, a line-scan camera integrated with the YOLOv11 AI model analyses the shape of materials on the conveyor belt, distinguishing between rounded and sharp-edged objects. This system enhances the accuracy of material separation and reduces the likelihood of injuries caused by the impact or ejection of sharp fragments during maintenance or handling. The YOLOv11n-seg model implemented in this system achieved a segmentation mask precision of 84.8 percent and a recall of 84.5 percent in industry evaluations. Based on this high segmentation accuracy and consistent detection of sharp particles, the system is expected to substantially reduce the frequency of sharp object collisions with the BECS conveyor belt, thereby minimizing mechanical wear and potential safety hazards. By integrating these intelligent capabilities into a compact, cost-effective solution suitable for real-world recycling environments, the proposed system contributes significantly to improving workplace safety and equipment longevity. This project demonstrates how digital transformation and artificial intelligence can play a pivotal role in advancing occupational health and safety in modern industrial production. Full article

Reversible thermochromic polymers have emerged as compelling candidates in recent years, captivating attention for their application in heat detection systems. This comprehensive review navigates through the multifaceted landscape, intricately exploring both the virtues and hurdles inherent in their integration within these systems. Their innate capacity to change colour in response to temperature fluctuations renders reversible thermochromic nanocomposites promising assets for heat detection technologies. However, despite their inherent potential, certain barriers hinder their widespread adoption. Factors such as a restricted colour spectrum, reliance on external triggers, and cost considerations have restrained their pervasive use. For instance, these polymer-based materials exhibit utility in the domain of building insulation, where their colour-changing ability serves as a beacon, flagging areas of heat loss or inadequate insulation, thus alerting building managers and homeowners to potential energy inefficiencies. Nevertheless, the limited range of discernible colours may impede precise temperature differentiation. Additionally, dependency on external stimuli, such as electricity or UV light, can complicate implementation and inflate costs. Realising the full potential of these polymer-based materials in heat detection systems necessitates addressing these challenges head-on. Continuous research endeavours aimed at augmenting colour diversity and diminishing reliance on external stimuli offer promising avenues to enhance their efficacy. Hence, this review aims to delve into the intricate nuances surrounding reversible thermochromic nanocomposites, highlighting their transformative potential in heat detection and sensing. By exploring their mechanisms, properties, and current applications, this manuscript endeavours to shed light on their significance, providing insights crucial for further research and potential applications. Full article

Among the most vulnerable to the health-harming effects of heat are people experiencing homelessness. However, during the 2021 Heat Dome, the deadliest extreme heat event (EHE) recorded in Canada to date, people experiencing homelessness represented the smallest proportion of decedents (n = 3, 0.5%)—despite the impacted region (British Columbia) having some of the highest rates of homelessness in the country. Thus, we sought to explore the 2021 Heat Dome as a media-based case study to identify potential actions or targeted strategies that were initiated by community support agencies, individuals and groups, and communicated in the news during this EHE that may have aided in the protection of this group or helped minimize the mortality impacts. Using media articles collated for a more extensive investigation into the effects of the 2021 Heat Dome (n = 2909), we identified a subset which included content on people experiencing homelessness in Canada (n = 274, 9%). These articles were thematically analysed using NVivo. Three main themes were identified: (i) public warnings issued during the 2021 Heat Dome directly addressed people experiencing homelessness, (ii) community support services explicitly targeting this population were activated during the heat event, and (iii) challenges and barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness during extreme heat were communicated. These findings suggest that mass-media messaging and dedicated on-the-ground initiatives led by various organizations explicitly initiated to support individuals experiencing homelessness during the 2021 Heat Dome may have assisted in limiting the harmful impacts of the heat on this community. Full article

Smart buildings use advanced technologies to automate building functions. One important function is occupancy detection using Internet of Things (IoT) sensors for smart buildings. Occupancy information is useful information to reduce energy consumption by automating building functions such as lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. The information is useful to improve indoor air quality by ensuring that ventilation systems are used only when and where they are needed. Additionally, it is useful to enhance building security by detecting unusual or unexpected occupancy levels and triggering appropriate responses, such as alarms or alerts. Occupancy information is useful for many other applications, such as emergency response, plug load energy management, point-of-interest identification, etc. However, the accuracy of occupancy detection is limited by factors such as real-time occupancy data, sensor placement, privacy concerns, and the presence of pets or objects that can interfere with sensor reading. With the rapid development of IoT sensor technologies and the increasing need for smart building solutions, there is a growing interest in occupancy detection techniques. There is a need to provide a comprehensive survey of these technologies. Although there are some exciting survey papers, they all have limited scopes with different focuses. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art occupancy detection methods (including both traditional algorithms and machine learning algorithms) and devices with their advantages and limitations. It surveys and compares fundamental technologies (such as sensors, algorithms, etc.) for smart buildings. Furthermore, the survey provides insights and discussions, which can help researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders develop more effective occupancy detection solutions for smart buildings. Full article

Extracellular vesicles released by tumor cells (T-EVs) are known to contain danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which are released in response to cellular stress to alert the immune system to the dangerous cell. Part of this defense mechanism is the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and HSP70-positive T-EVs are known to trigger anti-tumor immune responses. Moreover, extracellular HSP70 acts as an immunogen that contributes to the cross-presentation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. However, the release of DAMPs, including HSP70, may also induce chronic inflammation or suppress immune cell activity, promoting tumor growth. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on soluble, membrane-bound, and EV-associated HSP70 regarding their functions in regulating tumor-associated immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. The molecular mechanisms involved in the translocation of HSP70 to the plasma membrane of tumor cells and its release via exosomes or soluble proteins are summarized. Furthermore, perspectives for immunotherapies aimed to target HSP70 and its receptors for cancer treatment are discussed and presented. Full article

Following an extreme heat event in 2009, a Heat Alert and Response System (HARS) was implemented for the greater Vancouver area of British Columbia (BC), Canada. This system has provided a framework for guiding public health interventions and assessing population response and adaptation to extreme heat in greater Vancouver, but no other parts of BC were covered by HARS. The objective of this study was to identify evidence-based heat alert thresholds for the Southwest, Southeast, Northwest, and Northeast regions to facilitate the introduction of HARS across BC. This was done based on a national approach that considers high temperatures on two consecutive days and the intervening overnight low, referred to as the high-low-high approach. Daily forecast and observed air temperatures and daily mortality counts for May through September of 2004 through 2016 were obtained. For each date (day_t), day_t−2 forecasts were used to assign high temperatures for day_t and day_t+1 and the overnight low. A range of high-low-high threshold combinations was assessed for each region by finding associations with daily mortality using time-series models and other considerations. The following thresholds were established: 29-16-29 °C in the Southwest; 35-18-35 °C in the Southeast; 28-13-28 °C in the Northwest; and 29-14-29 °C in the Northeast. Heat alert thresholds for all regions in BC provide health authorities with information on dangerously hot temperature conditions and inform the activation of protective public health interventions. Full article

A public safety answering point (PSAP) receives alerts and attends to emergencies that occur in its responsibility area. The analysis of the events related to a PSAP can give us relevant information in order to manage them and to improve the performance of the first response institutions (FRIs) associated to every PSAP. However, current emergency systems are growing dramatically in terms of information heterogeneity and the volume of attended requests. In this work, we propose a system for statistical, spatial, and temporal analysis of incidences registered in a PSAP by using simple, yet robust and compact, event representations. The selected and designed temporal analysis tools include seasonal representations and nonparametric confidence intervals (CIs), which dissociate the main seasonal components and the transients. The spatial analysis tools include a straightforward event location over Google Maps and the detection of heat zones by means of bidimensional geographic Parzen windows with automatic width control in terms of the scales and the number of events in the region of interest. Finally, statistical representations are used for jointly analyzing temporal and spatial data in terms of the “time–space slices”. We analyzed the total number of emergencies that were attended during 2014 by seven FRIs articulated in a PSAP at the Ecuadorian 911 Integrated Security Service. Characteristic weekly patterns were observed in institutions such as the police, health, and transit services, whereas annual patterns were observed in firefighter events. Spatial and spatiotemporal analysis showed some expected patterns together with nontrivial differences among different services, to be taken into account for resource management. The proposed analysis allows for a flexible analysis by combining statistical, spatial and temporal information, and it provides 911 service managers with useful and operative information. Full article

Oxidative stress induces numerous biological problems. Lipid oxidation and peroxidation appear to be important steps by which exposure to oxidative stress leads the body to a disease state. For its protection, the body has evolved to respond to and eliminate peroxidation products through the acquisition of binding proteins, reducing and conjugating enzymes, and excretion systems. During the past decade, researchers have identified a group of ion channel molecules that are activated by oxidized lipids: transient receptor potential (TRP) channels expressed in sensory neurons. These ion channels are fundamentally detectors and signal converters for body-damaging environments such as heat and cold temperatures, mechanical attacks, and potentially toxic substances. When messages initiated by TRP activation arrive at the brain, we perceive pain, which results in our preparing defensive responses. Excessive activation of the sensory neuronal TRP channels upon prolonged stimulations sometimes deteriorates the inflammatory state of damaged tissues by promoting neuropeptide release from expresser neurons. These same paradigms may also work for pathologic changes in the internal lipid environment upon exposure to oxidative stress. Here, we provide an overview of the role of TRP channels and oxidized lipid connections during abnormally increased oxidative signaling, and consider the sensory mechanism of TRP detection as an alert system. Full article

Heat Alert and Response Systems (HARS) are currently undergoing testing and implementation in Canada. These programs seek to reduce the adverse health effects of heat waves on human health by issuing weather forecasts and warnings, informing individuals about possible protections from excessive heat, and providing such protections to vulnerable subpopulations and individuals at risk. For these programs to be designed effectively, it is important to know how individuals perceive the heat, what their experience with heat-related illness is, how they protect themselves from excessive heat, and how they acquire information about such protections. In September 2010, we conducted a survey of households in 5 cities in Canada to study these issues. At the time of the survey, these cities had not implemented heat outreach and response systems. The study results indicate that individuals’ recollections of recent heat wave events were generally accurate. About 21% of the sample reported feeling unwell during the most recent heat spell, but these illnesses were generally minor. Only in 25 cases out of 243, these illnesses were confirmed or diagnosed by a health care professional. The rate at which our respondents reported heat-related illnesses was higher among those with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, was higher among younger respondents and bore no relationship with the availability of air conditioning at home. Most of the respondents indicated that they would not dismiss themselves as “not at risk” and that they would cope with excessive heat by staying in air conditioned environments and keeping well hydrated. Despite the absence of heat outreach and education programs in their city, our respondents at least a rough idea of how to take care of themselves. The presence of air conditioning and knowledge of cooling centers is location-specific, which provides opportunities for targeting HARS interventions. Full article