Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials
Abstract This study investigates the physiological responses and subjective perceptions of touching wood. In particular, it focuses on their respective relationships with the amount of heat transfer across the hand–material interface during contact. The study participants included 55 university stud...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10086-021-01960-0 |
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doaj-cb07f51efeb847f6b5b9c71bfe016b6c2021-04-04T11:28:15ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Wood Science1435-02111611-46632021-03-0167111110.1186/s10086-021-01960-0Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materialsYuko Tsunetsugu0Masaki Sugiyama1Department of Biomaterial Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of TokyoDepartment of Wood Properties and Processing, Forestry and Forest Products Research InstituteAbstract This study investigates the physiological responses and subjective perceptions of touching wood. In particular, it focuses on their respective relationships with the amount of heat transfer across the hand–material interface during contact. The study participants included 55 university students (20 females and 35 males) who gave written informed consent. The participants’ blood pressure, pulse rate, and cerebral blood hemoglobin concentrations were measured continuously for 90 s while they gently held vertical bar-shaped specimens of Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), Japanese oak (Quercus crispula), polyethylene, and aluminum. The specimens also included wood with a surface coating. We measured subjective warmth and comfort as well as the heat flux between the palm and the surface of the material. The wooden materials were rated as significantly warmer compared to aluminum and polyethylene, regardless of the wood species (cypress or oak) or its coating; this result corresponds with smaller heat transfers in the wooden materials. Additionally, the wooden materials were more comfortable to hold as compared to the aluminum bar. Based on the changes in blood pressure, touching Japanese cypress and uncoated Japanese oak were interpreted to induce less physiological stress. Therefore, we can conclude that wood, with lower thermal conductivity, feels warm, and it causes relatively smaller physiological changes compared to other materials with higher thermal conductivity. Thus, they may present less physiological burdens when touched.https://doi.org/10.1186/s10086-021-01960-0Tactile sensationThermal conductivityNear-infrared spectroscopyFinapres method |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Yuko Tsunetsugu Masaki Sugiyama |
spellingShingle |
Yuko Tsunetsugu Masaki Sugiyama Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials Journal of Wood Science Tactile sensation Thermal conductivity Near-infrared spectroscopy Finapres method |
author_facet |
Yuko Tsunetsugu Masaki Sugiyama |
author_sort |
Yuko Tsunetsugu |
title |
Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials |
title_short |
Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials |
title_full |
Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials |
title_fullStr |
Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials |
title_full_unstemmed |
Heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials |
title_sort |
heat transfer, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions during short contact time with wood or other materials |
publisher |
SpringerOpen |
series |
Journal of Wood Science |
issn |
1435-0211 1611-4663 |
publishDate |
2021-03-01 |
description |
Abstract This study investigates the physiological responses and subjective perceptions of touching wood. In particular, it focuses on their respective relationships with the amount of heat transfer across the hand–material interface during contact. The study participants included 55 university students (20 females and 35 males) who gave written informed consent. The participants’ blood pressure, pulse rate, and cerebral blood hemoglobin concentrations were measured continuously for 90 s while they gently held vertical bar-shaped specimens of Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), Japanese oak (Quercus crispula), polyethylene, and aluminum. The specimens also included wood with a surface coating. We measured subjective warmth and comfort as well as the heat flux between the palm and the surface of the material. The wooden materials were rated as significantly warmer compared to aluminum and polyethylene, regardless of the wood species (cypress or oak) or its coating; this result corresponds with smaller heat transfers in the wooden materials. Additionally, the wooden materials were more comfortable to hold as compared to the aluminum bar. Based on the changes in blood pressure, touching Japanese cypress and uncoated Japanese oak were interpreted to induce less physiological stress. Therefore, we can conclude that wood, with lower thermal conductivity, feels warm, and it causes relatively smaller physiological changes compared to other materials with higher thermal conductivity. Thus, they may present less physiological burdens when touched. |
topic |
Tactile sensation Thermal conductivity Near-infrared spectroscopy Finapres method |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s10086-021-01960-0 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT yukotsunetsugu heattransferphysiologicalresponsesandsubjectiveperceptionsduringshortcontacttimewithwoodorothermaterials AT masakisugiyama heattransferphysiologicalresponsesandsubjectiveperceptionsduringshortcontacttimewithwoodorothermaterials |
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1721542781548101632 |