Personal comfort systems and cognitive performance: Effects on subjective measures, cognitive performance, and heart rate measures

Personal comfort systems (PCS) that warm or cool local body parts promise individual thermal comfort, energy saving and (metabolic) health in non-neutral environments. However, research on work performance while using a PCS is scarce. We previously tested warms the extremities cools head reported improved during ramp of 17-23˚C but did not at stable temperature 25˚C. In current study, its effects cognitive performance, subjective measures task-induced heart rate are investigated. Eighteen participants completed two randomized, eight-hour-long dynamic office scenarios: one scenario another without scenario. The results show warming slightly slowed reaction time for simple task 19˚C (p < 0.05) whereas it exerted no effect complex 17-21˚C. At 25˚C however, cooling = 0.053), which derived from participants’ effort increase, affect performance. These findings suggest PCS’ depended type. Cooling head, independent influence plays significant role conditions.