Warmth on Demand: Designing Headphones for Enhanced Thermal Comfort in Work Environments

In response to the increasing demand for personalized body temperature management, our study investigates headphones as a wearable system for enhancing thermal comfort in work environments. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, we evaluated user experiences with our developed thermoactive prototype. The results demonstrate that active heating via headphones provides more pronounced thermal effects compared to passive heating with regular headphones, particularly around the ears, but also moderately for the whole body, offering potential relief in cold office settings. However, the qualitative insights suggest that its effectiveness in supporting whole-body thermal comfort diminishes in the presence of intense cold in extremities like hands or feet. Additionally, our findings indicate a modest link between thermal comfort and productivity-related factors, including performance, workload, and frustration during work. These insights show the potential of integrating thermal comfort solutions in everyday wearable technology like headphones, leveraging their ubiquity to enhance user well-being and work efficiency.