@aburka yes. They also have periodic medical checks, that get more common later in the season and people's health begins to decline in sometimes serious ways. So, they do have occasional human contact, but if they have to be treated for anything, they get pulled out for medical reasons. And, it seems to be pretty impersonal, and not a friendly visit...the contestants tend to dread the med checks because they're afraid they'll be pulled for losing too much weight or frostbite, etc.