Building the Electric Thermometer


Class: BE209
Group: W2
Members: Lauren Boyer, Ana Crespo, Shaunak Patel, Jay Sy, Robert Yu

Date: December, 2002

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Abstract

In this project an electronic temperature monitor was designed. This device was tested for accuracy, precision and reliability.  In addition to benchmarking the device, specific characteristics of human body temperature were studied. The major findings of this lab were a) core body temperature can be measured accurately from both oral and axillary locations (Toral=0.812< Taxillary=0.998< t0.1,8=1.397); b) the device is accurate in measuring body temperature from both oral and axillary locations (T=0.077< t0.1,8=1.397); c) in general, it took females longer (4.56±1.65 sec) to heat the thermistor by 2°C than males (2.93±1.78 sec); d) the thermistor cannot be used to accurately measure body temperatures at open skin surfaces; e) there is no significant correlation between core and surface temperatures for a given subject; f) drift in the circuit was inconclusive.