2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
The Study on Thermal Environment for Elderly and Cold Proof Person-Study on Physiological Responses on Daily Life Using Heater and Cooler-
| Project/Area Number |
15300245
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
General human life sciences
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| Research Institution | Nara Women's University |
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Principal Investigator |
KUBO Hiroko Nara Women's University, Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Associate Professor (90186437)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ISODA Norio Nara Women's University, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Professor (60016871)
SHIBASAKI Manabu Nara Women's University, Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Assistant Professor (00314526)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
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| Keywords | Thermal Comfort / Elderly / Skin Temperature / Thermal Sensation Vote / Clothing Insulation / Daily Life / Individuals / Rectal temperature |
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimal thermal environment for the elderly. We carried out two experiments in a climate chamber as follows. Experiment 1: the direct determination of preferred air temperature. The subjects regulated air temperature for 120 minutes. We explained individual variations of thermal comfort for the elderly, and whether it's a good condition for the elderly health. During the experiments, we measured the skin temperatures, heart rate, thermal comfort vote, thermal sensation vote, and so on. And, we measured metabolic rate and heat loss, and we considered heat balance under several thermal environment. The subjects were 30 healthy elderly women. The subjects sat on a chair during the experiments in summer clothes (0.4clo). Experiment 2: exposure to established air temperature (23℃, 25℃, 31℃, 33℃). The subjects were exposed to established air temperature for 60 minutes. We explained the effect of established thermal environment on physiological and psychological responses. On Experiment 2, 19 subjects were extracted from Experiment 1. By these experiments, we determine an extant of comfort temperatures for the elderly that has several preferred temperatures in summer. The results were as follows;
Preferred air temperature were from 24.4℃ to 29.3℃. The average of preferred air temperature was 27℃, and standard deviation of mat was 1.3℃. On that conditions, almost subjects voted 'comfortable'-'very comfortable'. But under 25℃, some elderly cooled their core temperatures a little, and their heart rate declined. This indicates that the elderly decrease in ability to control the skin temperature.
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