CO-oximeter

CO-oximeter

A cooling vest, also known as an ice vest or 'precool vest', is a garment worn to lower a person's body temperature. These vests find application among various groups including athletes, industrial workers, medical professionals, service animals, individuals with Multiple Sclerosis or Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, as well as military pilots and tank crews.

For Olympic athletes, lightweight body cooling vests serve as a means to pre-cool before events. In preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nike introduced the Nike Precool Vest tailored for Olympic competitors. Designed to be worn an hour prior to events in the hot and humid conditions of Beijing, Nike projected a potential 21% increase in an athlete's endurance. Subsequent research corroborated these claims of enhanced performance.

During the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics, the lightweight Arctic Heat cooling vest saw widespread use.

Cooling vests vary in weight, ranging from approximately two to eight pounds, contingent upon the specific model. While the Nike variant remains exclusive to athletes, numerous commercial alternatives with diverse weights and price points are accessible. Examples include the RiteTemp Performance Vest and Hyper Precool Vest, which incorporate standard cooling gel packs or phase change material, enabling wearers to engage in full warm-up activities while maintaining contact with the body. Various cooling mechanisms are employed in these vests, such as the adiabatic expansion of compressed air, capable of sustaining worker comfort in extreme heat conditions for extended durations. Typically, such vests can reduce air temperature by around 25 °F, with an average flow rate of approximately 5 cubic feet per minute. Alternatively, some vests combine neoprene with frozen gels to create a cold compression therapy vest, penetrating deep into soft tissues to rapidly lower core body temperature. Chemical packs are also utilized in certain designs, although most vests function primarily as heat sinks, conducting heat away from the body through conduction. Moreover, certain vests incorporate a layered cooling module system to ensure prolonged cooling without sacrificing flexibility.

The functionality of cooling vests bears resemblance to Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garments utilized by astronauts.

Additionally, cooling vests serve as a crucial tool for individuals grappling with multiple sclerosis (MS). In MS, demyelination of nerve fibers heightens sensitivity to elevated temperatures, resulting in pain and discomfort. Cooling vests help regulate body temperature, alleviating symptoms and promoting comfort, particularly in instances where nerve fibers are undergoing repair or remyelination.