Feb 16, 2026
Human Experience in Regulated Offices Extended (HEROx) protocol
- Puneet Tomar1,
- Dianel Ago2,
- Ilaria Pigliautile1,
- Gloria Cosoli2,
- Veronica Martins Gnecco1,3,
- Gianluca Sartini4,
- Sara Casaccia4,
- Silvia Angela Mansi2,5,
- Anna Laura Pisello1,3,
- Marco Arnesano2
- 1EAPLAB at CIRIAF “Interuniversity research center on pollution and environment Mauro Felli”, University of Perugia, Italy;
- 2Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi eCampus, Italy;
- 3Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, Perugia (PG), Italy;
- 4Department of Industrial Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University;
- 5Department of Brain and Behavioural Science, University of Pavia, Italy
- MuSIC
Protocol Citation: Puneet Tomar, Dianel Ago, Ilaria Pigliautile, Gloria Cosoli, Veronica Martins Gnecco, Gianluca Sartini, Sara Casaccia, Silvia Angela Mansi, Anna Laura Pisello, Marco Arnesano 2026. Human Experience in Regulated Offices Extended (HEROx) protocol. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.dm6gp1e51gzp/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: In development
We are still developing and optimizing this protocol
Created: December 18, 2025
Last Modified: February 16, 2026
Protocol Integer ID: 235337
Keywords: experimental protocol, phase-based analysis, cognitive load, social interaction, washout period, thermal condition, physiological monitoring, human performance, environmental stress, office protocol, indoor monitoring, human environment interaction, office activity, wearable sensors, physiological signals, lab monitoring, human experience, environmental condition, regulated office, Indoor environmental quality, Electroencephalography (EEG), Electrodermal activity (EDA), Skin temperature, Multi-domain comfort, indoor exposure, thermophysiology, neurophysiology , human experience in regulated offices extended, individual activity, thermophysiological reference state, interactive cognitive engagement, resting phase, disruptive activity, session, collaborative activity, task order, environmental stress modulation, posture transition, phase timeline with standardized washout period, adult participant, resolution analysis of environmental stress modulation, guided discussion task, participant, multimodal recording, discussion task,
Funders Acknowledgements:
European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks
Grant ID: 101073357
Italian Ministry of Research through the WEPOP ‘’WEarable Platform for OptImised Personal comfort’’ project, within the PRIN 2022 program.
Grant ID: Prot. 2022RKLB3J
Abstract
This protocol describes a Human Experience in Regulated Offices Extended (HEROx) experiment protocol conducted during a winter-season experimental campaign with 26 adult participants. The study investigates multimodal physiological, behavioral, and environmental responses during ecologically valid office-like activities under two controlled thermal conditions: a Lower Temperature (LT) condition and a Higher Temperature (HT) condition. Each participant were observed in both HT|LT session.
The session is organized into four structured experimental blocks to ensure reproducibility and phase-resolved signal alignment. Block 0 (Foundational State) includes acclimation and baseline resting phases to establish thermophysiological reference states. Block 1 (Individual Activity) consists of reading and structured text production tasks (typing and handwriting), separated by washout intervals. Block 2 (Collaborative Activity) includes a guided discussion task to capture socially interactive cognitive engagement. Block 3 (Disruptive Activity) incorporates posture transition (stand-up) and simulated phone/report tasks to induce behavioral and attentional perturbations.
Across all blocks, a fixed 15-phase timeline with standardized washout periods enables precise segmentation of multimodal recordings. Task order counterbalancing preserves phase alignment while minimizing order effects. Continuous synchronized recording ensures reproducible phase marking suitable for high-resolution analysis of environmental stress modulation and recovery dynamics.
Guidelines
Study Design
Figure 1. Experimental session flow diagram. Sequential overview of Blocks 0–3 (Phases 1–15), illustrating phase-resolved sequence.
The experimental campaign included 26 adult participants tested under controlled indoor climate conditions during the winter season. Each participant completed a full structured session consisting of 15 predefined phases grouped into four hierarchical blocks.
Two thermal exposure conditions were implemented in two different sessions:
- Lower Temperature (LT) condition
- Higher Temperature (HT) condition
Thermal condition assignment was controlled at the session level. Within-session task order for paired tasks (typing/writing and phone/report) was counterbalanced while maintaining fixed phase indices for alignment consistency.
The structured phase design enables phase-resolved comparison across thermal conditions and task categories (resting, individual cognitive activity, collaborative interaction, and disruptive/postural transitions).
Experimental Setting
All sessions were conducted in a controlled indoor climate chamber NEXT.ROOM during the winter experimental campaign. Environmental parameters were continuously monitored throughout each session. Two indoor thermal exposure conditions were implemented: Lower Temperature (LT): Target indoor air temperature centered around 18–19 °C. Higher Temperature (HT): Target indoor air temperature centered around 27–28 °C.
Observed air temperature (mean ± standard deviation) during the campaign:
- LT condition: 18.60 ± 1.13 °C
- HT condition: 27.72 ± 0.58 °C
Temperature stability was maintained throughout each session. Environmental data were recorded continuously to ensure traceability and reproducibility. Participants remained inside the chamber for the full duration of the approximately 62–72 minute per session.
Materials
Participant Materials
- Reading text (standardized across sessions)
- Writing task prompt sheet
- Typing task instructions
- Discussion prompt sheet
- Phone call script
- Report preparation instructions
Data Collection Materials
- Physiological recording devices (e.g., EDA, EEG, temperature sensors)
- Environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, CO₂ if applicable)
- Computer workstation
- Desk and adjustable chair
- Timing control software (master timeline system)
Troubleshooting
Before start
- Obtain informed consent.
- Screen participant for eligibility.
- Prepare the climate chamber and validate sensors, including software and hardware.
- Fit physiological monitoring devices and confirm signal quality.
- Brief participant about task flow without revealing research hypotheses.
- Confirm environmental stability.
- Load master timeline file for session.
Safety and Ethics
- Participants may withdraw at any time.
- Monitor for thermal discomfort.
- Stop the session if the participant reports adverse symptoms.
- Ensure compliance with institutional ethical approval requirements.
Experimental Procedure
1h 2m
BLOCK 0
Phase 1 — Acclimation
Duration: 20 minutes
- Participant remains seated quietly to acclimate to environmental conditions.
- No cognitive tasks are performed.
- Minimal interaction from experimenter.
- Initial questionnaire (SI) responses
20m
BLOCK 0
Phase 2 — Baseline (Resting)
Duration: 1.5 minutes
- Participant sits quietly, eyes open, neutral posture.
- No speaking, reading, or device interaction.
- Baseline physiological signals recorded.
1m 30s
BLOCK 0
Phase 3 — Washout 1
Duration: 3 minutes
- Neutral recovery period following baseline.
- Participant remains seated.
- Baseline perception (SB) questionnaire
3m
BLOCK 1
Phase 4 — Reading Task
Duration: 5 minutes
- Activity individual
- Participant reads standardized text silently.
- No note-taking allowed.
5m
BLOCK 1
Phase 5 — Washout 2
Duration: 3 minutes
- Neutral seated recovery period.
- Post activity perception-survey (SA) questionnaire.
3m
BLOCK 1
Phase 6 — Typing or Writing Task (First Task)
Duration: 5 minutes
Participant performs the first task of the pair:
- Activity individual
- Either typing (computer-based text production)
- Or handwriting (pen-and-paper writing task)
The order of typing and writing is counterbalanced across sessions.
5m
BLOCK 1
Phase 7 — Washout 3
Duration: 2 minutes
- Neutral recovery period.
- Post activity perception-survey (SA) questionnaire.
2m
BLOCK 1
Phase 8 — Typing or Writing Task (Second Task)
Duration: 5 minutes
Participant performs the remaining task (whichever was not performed in Phase 6).
- Activity individual
5m
BLOCK 1
Phase 9 — Washout 4
Duration: 2 minutes
- Neutral recovery.
- Post activity perception-survey (SA) questionnaire.
2m
BLOCK 2
Phase 10 — Stand-Up Task
Duration: 1.5 minutes
- Participant stands upright beside workstation.
- No walking permitted unless specified.
- This phase is used to capture postural and cardiovascular shift effects.
1m 30s
BLOCK 2
Phase 11 — Discussion Task
Duration: 5 minutes
- Activity: Collaborative
- Structured discussion between participant and experimenter using standardized prompts.
- Ensure conversational engagement remains task-focused.
5m
BLOCK 2
Phase 12 — Washout 5
Duration: 2 minutes
- Seated recovery period.
- Post activity perception-survey (SA) questionnaire.
2m
BLOCK 3
Phase 13 — Phone Call or Report Task (First Task)
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Participant performs first of the pair:
- Activity: Disruptive
- Simulated phone call interaction
- Verbal or written report generation
Note: The order is counterbalanced across participants or sessions.
2m 30s
BLOCK 3
Phase 14 — Phone Call or Report Task (Second Task)
Duration: 2.5 minutes
- Activity: Disruptive
- Participant performs remaining task.
Note: The order is counterbalanced across participants or sessions.
2m 30s
BLOCK 3
Phase 15 — Final Washout
Duration: 2 minutes
- Final seated neutral recovery period prior to device removal.
- Post activity perception-survey (SA) questionnaire.
2m
Timing Summary
| Phase | Duration (minutes) | |
| Acclimation | 20 | |
| Baseline | 1.5 | |
| Washouts (total) | ~14 | |
| Active task time | ~30 | |
| Total session time | ~65 minutes |
Data Management
Store raw data immediately after session completion. - Label files using the standardized session ID format (e.g., P{ID}_D{Day}S{A,B}{LT|HT}).
- Export synchronized timeline file.
- Maintain an anonymized dataset structure.
Anticipated Results
- Phase-aligned multimodal physiological data
- Task-specific behavioral signatures
- Thermal condition comparative data
- Recovery dynamics across washout periods
The structured alternation between cognitive load, social interaction, posture change, and neutral recovery enables phase-resolved analysis of environmental stress modulation on human performance.
Protocol references
Tomar, P., Ago, D., Pigliautile, I., Cosoli, G., Martins Gnecco, V., Casaccia, S., Gianluca, G., Mansi, S. A., Pisello, A. L., & Arnesano, M. (2025). Human Experience in Regulated Offices Extended (HEROx) dataset [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17141776
Tomar, P., & Pisello, A. L. (2026). Physiological-perceptual divergence (PPD) in human thermal adaptation: Multimodal evidence of decoupled body-mind responses during controlled indoor exposure. Building and Environment, 292, 114256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2026.114256
Tomar, P., Ago, D., Pigliautile, I., Martins Gnecco, V., Cosoli, G., Casaccia, S., Sartini, G., Mansi, S. A., Pisello, A. L., & Arnesano, M. (2025). Human Experience in Regulated Offices (HERO) dataset [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17957768
Vittori, F., Chiatti, C., Pigliautile, I. & Pisello, A. L. The NEXT.ROOM: Design principles and systems trials of a novel test room aimed at deepening our knowledge on human comfort. Building and Environment, 211, 108744 (2022). doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108744
EL kounni, A., Tomar, P., Vellei, M., Le Dréau, J., PISELLO, A. L., Inard, C., & Ramallo-González, A. (2026). ChronoLight Thermophysiology Response (CLTR) Dataset [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18270221
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the HORIZON-MSCA-2021-DN-01 under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks. Additionally by the Italian Ministry of Research within the PRIN 2022 program.