Current and future cooling technologies used in preventing heat illness and improving work capacity for battlefield soldiers: review of the literature.
OBJECTIVE
The goals were to review the effectiveness of current cooling technologies used on the battlefield to reduce or to prevent heat illness in soldiers and to discuss possible alternative or improved cooling methods.


METHODS
A search of the literature for 1990-2007 was performed by using the Air Force Institute of Technology and Air Force Research Laboratory search engines.


RESULTS
Several current cooling technologies are modestly effective in attenuating brain and core body temperatures, but the cooling effects are not sustained and the devices present operational problems. This review indicates that some current cooling devices are effective in lowering perceived efforts and lengthening maximal exercise time but are incompatible with current demands.


CONCLUSIONS
Many of the cooling methods and devices detailed in the literature are impractical for use in the field. Future research should focus on cooling technologies that are practical in the battlefield and have sustainable cooling effects.
O'Hara
Reginald
R
Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433-7947, USA.
Eveland
Ed
E
Fortuna
Sarah
S
Reilly
Patricia
P
Pohlman
Roberta
R
D003080:Cold Temperature; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D012881:Skin Temperature; D014481:United States; D016526:Workload