A Personal Environmental Control System for Enhanced Comfort, Protection against Airborne Infection transmission and User Experience

Project 2

Aim of Project

The project aims to develop a proof-of-concept personalized environmental control system (PECS) that enhances user experience, improves protection against airborne infection and reduces dermal dehydration.

An understanding of extent of facial dehydration, and exposure to in-cabin airborne disease transmission and user control preference is obtained through empirical measurements involving subjects and computational modelling.

The enhancement of airplane passenger experience increases satisfaction and well-being, especially when air travel exerts physiological stresses. Circadian rhythm dislocation, eating and sleeping schedule disruptions, add on to hypobaric adjustments that the passenger has to cope with. Whilst much improvement to the airplane environmental conditions have been achieved through the deployment of feasible technologies, some fundamental challenges remain, while newer concerns have emerged. Addressing these are essential as these indicate opportunities for innovation as the airline industry emerges from the ravages of the pandemic and has to innovate to enhance competitiveness. This proposal attempts to address four of such challenges:

  • dehydration leading to facial dermal discomfort;
  • transmission risk of airborne diseases, particularly from undetected neighbouring passengers; and
  • diversity of individual preferences to air movement, particularly in the facial region
  • sustainable design of localized personal environmental control systems (PECS) concept that can contribute towards energy efficiency

Team