Comfort-analyzing device, environment-control command device, and comfort-analyzing method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing comfort-analyzing devices categorize individuals based on static information, failing to account for changing factors such as activities and physical conditions over time, which can lead to discomfort despite a recommended thermal environment.
Innovation Solution
A comfort-analyzing device that presents a questionnaire repeatedly to extract comfort levels and environmental factors chronologically, constructing a cognitive-structure model to accurately represent user comfort and environmental influences, with an environment-control command device adjusting settings based on this analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a PMV-based thermal environment control system is used, then the objective thermal comfort index is improved, but the subjective user comfort may deteriorate because comfort varies from person to person
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters used for comfort assessment from only objective thermal environmental factors (air temperature, humidity, air velocity, radiant temperature) to include both objective factors and subjective user responses. By incorporating user-assessed comfort levels and thermal characteristics into the control parameters, the system adapts to individual differences while maintaining PMV-based environmental control.
2Ease of operation
If thermal environment control is based on general PMV recommendations, then the overall comfort level is improved, but individual user comfort deteriorates due to lack of customization
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of individual user thermal characteristics before implementing personalized control. By measuring skin temperatures at multiple body positions and determining thermal types in advance, the system prepares customized control strategies for each user, enabling both ease of operation and individual adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts the thermal environment control based on individual user characteristics. Instead of static PMV-based control, the system continuously adjusts environmental parameters according to each user's measured thermal type and real-time comfort assessments, making the control both easy to operate and highly adaptable to individual needs.
3Device complexity
If static thermal characteristics assessment is performed once, then the assessment simplicity is improved, but the accuracy deteriorates because comfort factors change over time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic reassessment of user comfort and thermal characteristics at multiple time points throughout the day. By conducting assessments at predetermined intervals and using the latest assessments for control, the system maintains high measurement precision while keeping the assessment process relatively simple through automated periodic execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by repeatedly assessing user comfort levels and thermal characteristics, then using this feedback to adjust the thermal environment control. The latest assessment results continuously inform control decisions, ensuring the system adapts to changing comfort factors over time while maintaining a relatively simple assessment framework.
Data Source
AI summary
A comfort-analyzing device includes a display unit, a first control unit, an input unit, and a cognitive-structure constructing unit. The display unit is configured to present a questionnaire for extracting both a comfort level of a user in an environment and at least one environmental factor to determine the comfort level. The first control unit is configured to cause the display unit to present the questionnaire twice or more during a survey period. The input unit is configured to accept, from the user, input of each reply to the questionnaire presented twice or more. The cognitive-structure constructing unit is configured to construct a cognitive-structure model representing a cognitive structure of the user regarding comfort by extracting both the comfort level and the at least one environmental factor in chronological order based on each reply to the questionnaire presented twice or more.