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Comfort/Convenience

Measuring VOCs in Automobile Cabins and Parts Visualizing the Loads on Drivers when Driving
– Contributing to Manufacture Automobiles with Better Interior Environments – - Evaluating Cognitive Loads During Driving by Measuring Brain Function -

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause sick house syndrome, are considered a problem not only in buildings, but also inside automobile When a person drives a car, the brain performs a wide variety of sophisticated cognitive processes. It is thought that decreased driver attention while
cabins. Therefore, automobile manufacturers and other related manufacturers are implementing measures to reduce VOCs. Each automobile the brain is under high cognitive loads during driving can result in mistakes that could cause an accident. Therefore, to achieve a more pleasant driving
manufacturer specifies the methods used to measure VOCs inside automobiles and emitted from plastic parts, where VOCs are measured using thermal experience, it is important to minimize brain cognitive loads involved in driving, so that the driver is free to immediately respond as required whenever
desorption-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS). necessary. Therefore, researchers are trying to understand the cognitive loads placed on the brain during driving by measuring brain function.

Using a Driving Simulator to Measure Brain Function While Driving an Automobile
Measuring VOCs in Automobile Cabins and Parts
Portable functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy System for Research Data provided by: Tsunashima Laboratory, Nihon University
TD-30 Series Thermal Desorption System LIGHTNIRS (joint research with Inagaki and Itoh Laboratory at the University of Tsukuba)
Thermal desorption involves using a sample tube packed with an adsorbent
to adsorb target components from a gas phase and then using thermal
desorption to inject the components into a gas chromatograph (GC).
Headspace gas chromatography is often used in cases of inadequate
sensitivity or when collecting samples for long periods, because it enables
samples to be concentrated using a simple procedure. Also, because the
sample tube is easy to carry, it is often used for on-site sampling.
If a thermal desorption system (TD) is connected to a GC-MS system, then
background and contamination levels must be reduced. Air ingress must be
minimized as well. To satisfy such requirements, the TD-30 Series features a ACC off ACC on
GCMS-TQ8040 NX + TD-30R simple flow line design.
The frontal lobe activation state varied
depending on the presence/absence of a
driving-assist system (ACC adaptive cruise While stopped While driving While stopped While stopped While driving While stopped
control system that controls constant
speed and spacing between vehicles). Z-score Z-score
Simultaneous Analysis of VOCs in Automobile Cabins and from Parts
VOCs are sampled by connecting a pump with a constant flowrate to the
1 :Toluene This shows that cognitive loads on the Time (s) Time (s)
2 :Ethylbenzene downstream end of a TENAX-TA sample tube to collect samples by suction. Sampling
3 :m + p-Xylene brain are lower with a driving-assist
4 :Styrene inside automobile cabins involves collecting interior air directly into a sample tube. system than without.
5 :o-Xylene Sampling VOCs from parts involves sealing appropriately sized pieces of the parts in
6 :p-Dichlorobenzene Z-score Z-score
7 :Nonanal a sampling bag and then collecting the VOCs in a sample tube. To induce VOC
8 :Tetradecane emission, the entire automobile or the entire sampling bag containing the part is
9 :DBP Consequently, it may be possible to
10 :DEHP heated during sampling.
evaluate cognitive loads on the brain by
measuring brain function. Fig. 1 Change in Oxygenated Hemoglobin Fig. 2 Change in Oxygenated Hemoglobin
Without a Driving-Assist System With a Driving-Assist System
Reference Materials:
K. Yanagisawa, H. Tsunashima, Y. Marumo, T. Inagaki (2012). "Measurement of driver's brain function by using NIRS (Evaluation of
reduction in driver's workload by driving assistance system)"
10 20 30 (min)
The transactions of Human Interface Society 14(1-4): 209-217. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Upper: Cabin air collected for 24 hours, Lower: 100 ng standard mixture sample
Tsunashima H, Yanagisawa K (2009) Measurement of brain function of car driver using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience 2009, Article No. 2.
TD-30 Series
· The tubing used in areas of the TD-30 Series unit that contact sample gases is treated with an inert coating that inhibits Evaluating the performance and sensitivity of cognitive functions in combination with brain function measurement is anticipated
adsorption or decomposition of the gases.
for use in evaluating the overall convenience people feel about vehicles.
· The system functions in conjunction with workstation software to fully support automatic analysis.
· Easy part replaceability provides superior maintainability.

· Brain function can be measured in real time during driving.
· The system is being used to research the cognitive demands of driving systems.
· The system is also used for comparison to subjective evaluations of seat comfort, odors, or other characteristics.

Note: Perform measurements during driving in accordance with applicable laws.

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