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Upon being told to deliver an unprepared short talk and then calculate in reverse in intervals of 17 – while facing a group of unfamiliar people – the acute stress was written on my face.

The reason was that researchers were documenting this rather frightening situation for a scientific study that is examining tension using thermal cameras.

Stress alters the circulation in the facial area, and experts have determined that the thermal decrease of a individual's nasal area can be used as a measure of stress levels and to track recuperation.

Thermal imaging, based on researcher findings conducting the research could be a "transformative advancement" in anxiety studies.

The Experimental Stress Test

The experimental stress test that I subjected myself to is meticulously designed and deliberately designed to be an discomforting experience. I arrived at the university with minimal awareness what I was in for.

First, I was asked to sit, unwind and listen to background static through a set of headphones.

Thus far, quite relaxing.

Subsequently, the scientist who was running the test introduced a group of unfamiliar people into the area. They collectively gazed at me quietly as the scientist explained that I now had three minutes to prepare a short talk about my "dream job".

When noticing the heat rise around my throat, the researchers recorded my face changing colour through their infrared device. My nose quickly dropped in warmth – turning blue on the infrared display – as I considered how to navigate this impromptu speech.

Research Findings

The researchers have performed this equivalent anxiety evaluation on numerous subjects. In all instances, they observed the nasal area dip in temperature by between three and six degrees.

My nasal area cooled in warmth by a couple of degrees, as my biological response system shifted blood distribution from my nasal region and to my sensory systems – a physical reaction to help me to see and detect for hazards.

Nearly all volunteers, like me, recovered quickly; their noses warmed to normal readings within a short time.

Principal investigator explained that being a media professional has probably made me "quite habituated to being subjected to stressful positions".

"You're familiar with the recording equipment and speaking to strangers, so you're likely quite resilient to public speaking anxieties," the researcher noted.

"However, even individuals such as yourself, experienced in handling anxiety-provoking scenarios, shows a bodily response alteration, so which implies this 'facial cooling' is a reliable indicator of a shifting anxiety level."

Anxiety Control Uses

Tension is inevitable. But this finding, the researchers state, could be used to aid in regulating damaging amounts of stress.

"The period it takes a person to return to normal from this temperature drop could be an reliable gauge of how efficiently somebody regulates their stress," noted the lead researcher.

"If they bounce back remarkably delayed, might this suggest a risk marker of mental health concerns? Is this an aspect that we can address?"

As this approach is non-intrusive and records biological reactions, it could furthermore be beneficial to track anxiety in babies or in people who can't communicate.

The Mathematical Stress Test

The subsequent challenge in my tension measurement was, from my perspective, more difficult than the opening task. I was told to calculate backwards from 2023 in increments of seventeen. A member of the group of three impassive strangers stopped me every time I made a mistake and told me to recommence.

I confess, I am poor with calculating mentally.

While I used uncomfortable period trying to force my mind to execute subtraction, all I could think was that I wanted to flee the increasingly stuffy room.

Throughout the study, just a single of the multiple participants for the tension evaluation did actually ask to exit. The remainder, similar to myself, completed their tasks – probably enduring varying degrees of discomfort – and were rewarded with another calming session of background static through audio devices at the end.

Primate Study Extensions

Perhaps one of the most remarkable features of the approach is that, because thermal cameras measure a physical stress response that is natural to many primates, it can also be used in non-human apes.

The investigators are currently developing its use in refuges for primates, comprising various ape species. They seek to establish how to lower tension and enhance the welfare of primates that may have been saved from harmful environments.

Researchers have previously discovered that presenting mature chimps visual content of baby chimpanzees has a relaxing impact. When the scientists installed a display monitor near the rescued chimps' enclosure, they saw the noses of creatures that observed the footage heat up.

So, in terms of stress, watching baby animals interacting is the opposite of a surprise job interview or an on-the-spot subtraction task.

Coming Implementations

Implementing heat-sensing technology in ape sanctuaries could prove to be beneficial in supporting rescued animals to adapt and acclimate to a different community and unfamiliar environment.

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