Effect of Body Segment-Specific Airflow via a Fan-Integrated Car Seat on Thermal Comfort in a Compensable Hot Environment

Ketaro Wada･Teruyuki Nagai (Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology)･Tetsuya Kitagwa (Fortech Co. Ltd.)･Yukiko Nishizaki･Naoyuki Yamashita (Kyoto Institute of Technology)

This study examined the effects of airflow via a fan-integrated car seat on thermal comfort in an environment with compensable heat. After walking for 10 minutes, airflow was directed to the backrest (Back), the seat base (Seat), both (Whole Body) or neither (CON). Compared with Seat and CON, whole-body and Back airflow significantly improved overall thermal comfort. These effects were not associated with rectal temperature. These results suggest that back airflow improves thermal comfort when assessed by whole-body measures without a significant change in core body temperature.

Consideration of an Alert Method Using Positional Correspondence Between Seat Vibration and Attention Targets(Second Report)

Yosuke Uemura (Kyoto Institute of Technology)･Tetsuya Kitagawa･Ryuji Furumai (Fortech Co.,Ltd)･Yukiko Nishizaki (Kyoto Institute of Technology)

In a previous report, we showed that responses were significantly faster when vibration from the back was presented from the same direction as the emerging attentional target. In this study, we examined the response-promoting effects of vibration, sound, and a combination of these stimuli. The results showed that the elderly responded better to the combination of voice and vibration than to voice alone when alerted.

Fundamental Study on Vibration Stimulation via an Automobile Seat

Yukiyo Kuriyagawa (Nihon University)･Xinyue Zhang (Nihon University Graduate School)･Hidefumi Koizumi･Shinichi Sagawai･Hiroshi Wakuda･Toshiki Nakamura･Keigo Abe･Kunio Sato (ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.)

This study aims to realize comfortable and intuitive driving assistance by employing tactile stimuli delivered through seat vibrations, either as an alternative to or in conjunction with audiovisual cues. We investigated drivers’ cognitive responses to seat vibrations with varying frequencies, in contrast to conventional systems that use a fixed frequency.

Research on Active Car Seats for Reducing Car Sickness: Focusing on the Directional Specificity of Human Acceleration Perception Intensity

Masanori Matsuoka･Junya Hoshino (Advics)

An active car seat is proposed to reduce motion sickness in autonomous vehicles. By dynamically driving the car seat in response to vehicle acceleration, the perceived acceleration felt by passengers is reduced, thus preventing motion sickness. Based on the finding that acceleration perception intensity is high in the 30-degree direction above the front of the head, the seat drive amount was set and its effectiveness was verified in real vehicles.

The Estimation of Seated Bone Shape from Ultrasonic Images

Masateru Amano･Yuji Muragishi･Yosikazu Hattori (Toyota central reserach laboratory)

To clarify low-strain sitting postures based on the mechanical structure of bones, we developed a method to estimate the three-dimensional position and shape of bones using ultrasound imaging. Using this method, we examined changes in bone position and alignment in two different sitting postures: slouched and upright. The results showed that the relative position between the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae remained unchanged, indicating that they move together as a single unit regardless of posture.