Silicon infrared sensors for thermal comfort and control

Obtaining a satisfactory comfort level is becoming increasingly important to building owners. Today, comfort control typically means using the space temperature to control space conditions. However, in the near-future, comfort control will mean measuring sensible temperature, radiant temperature, humidity and velocity, then calculating a comfort value, and controlling conditions of the space. The main factors affecting individual worker comfort are more easily measured than others. For example, radiant temperature is a relatively difficult and expensive measurement to make because of the cost of radiant sensors. Accordingly, this article describes a low cost infrared (IR) radiant sensor that is based on silicon microstructure technology. The importance of radiant temperature to comfort is also discussed.