Sharp Corporation conducted collaborative research on its Plasmacluster technology, with Dr. Toshio Ito, a project researcher specializing in driving assistance research at Shibaura Institute of Technology, SIT Research Laboratories and a representative director at Hyper Digital Twins Co., Ltd^*2. When the effectiveness on driving ability is validated by using a driving simulator, Sharp confirmed for the first time in the world, the improvement of driving ability by exposing to Plasmacluster ions.

In 2020, the research by Sharp using brain wave measurement has demonstrated effectiveness of Plasmacluster technology in maintaining the concentration of people while driving^*3. Sharp considered that it can be also effective to the improvement of driving behavior (awareness, judgment, and vehicle operation). Therefore, this time, Sharp conducted a research into manual driving and self-driving ^*4, which are anticipated to enter into wider use in the future, using a driving simulator. As a result, Sharp confirmed a reduction in the reaction time to step on the brakes and an improvement in steering wheel operability during manual driving, as well as drowsiness suppression and an improvement in steering wheel operability after takeover^*5 from automated systems during self-driving. The study is the first of its kind to find that Plasmacluster technology affects specific behavior by drivers.

In manual driving, careless driving (idle driving) ranks first in the number of fatal accidents by violation of laws and regulations^*6, and under self-driving, there are concerns about accidents caused by driving behavior errors such as delayed reactions when a driver suddenly needs to intervene manually. Given that it will take time to fully automate vehicle operation, the results of this research that may prevent careless driving are considered to be of very significant.

Plasmacluster technology is an air purification technology that uses the same positive and negative ions as those present in nature. A high level of safety and various effectiveness have been confirmed by conducting tests at independent third-party testing institutions in and outside Japan for more than 20 years. This time, Sharp has newly demonstrated the effectiveness of Plasmacluster technology on improving driving ability, and Sharp will continuously conduct the verification of the effectiveness and its mechanism against the human being to enhance its reliability, and will study the additional effectiveness and applicability of Plasmacluster technology to the new field.

■ Overview of the study demonstrating how Plasmacluster ions improve driving ability

• Test conducted by: Dr. Toshio Ito (project researcher, Shibaura Institute of Technology, SIT Research Laboratories)

• Test space: Laboratory, Shibaura Institute of Technology

• Participants: 20 men and women ages 20 to 24

• Verification test apparatus: Test equipment with Plasmacluster technology and driving simulator

• Test conditions:

　a) Without Plasmacluster ions (air flow only)

　b) With Plasmacluster ions

• Plasmacluster Ion density: Participant location: Approx. 100,000 ions/cm3

• Test method:

　•Participants navigated a driving course modeling an expressway both in manual driving and in self-driving* mode.

1. During manual driving:

The following parameters were evaluated based on the assumption that maintenance of concentration would affect brake and steering wheel operation by allowing faster recognition of hazards appearing in front of the vehicle: (Test time of 40 min. each)

(1)Reaction time until brake application (evaluating the time from braking indication by the leading vehicle to braking by the participant)

(2)Smoothness of steering wheel movements^** (evaluating the smoothness with which the participant operated the steering wheel when avoiding obstacles)

2. During self-driving:

The following parameters were evaluated based on concerns that self-driving leads to reduced attention, increased drowsiness, and delayed reactions when switching to manual driving: (Evaluation of (4) after (3) with a test time of 20 min.)

(3)Evaluation of drowsiness by facial expression rating (Evaluation of facial expressions using 5 levels of drowsiness: See Figure 4)

(4)Smoothness of steering wheel movements after takeover^** (similar to (2))

●Results:

1. Manual driving evaluation results:

Compared to air flow only, use of Plasmacluster ions found the following:

(1)The time from braking indication by the leading vehicle to braking by the participant was shorter (Figure 6).

(2)Participants were able to smoothly avoid obstacles (Figure 7).

2. Self-driving evaluation results:

Compared to air flow only, use of Plasmacluster ions found the following:

(3)Reduced drowsiness level (Figure 8)

(4)Participants were able to avoid obstacles with smoother steering wheel movements after takeover (Figure 9).

From the above results, we confirmed that Plasmacluster technology has effect to improve driving ability.

■ Overview of self-driving level definitions^*

Driving responsibility	Level	Definitions	Automatic operation	Monitoring of area outside vehicle	failure response	Ride of driver
Human	0	No automation	× Driver can perform	× Driver can perform	× Driver can perform	YES The ride of the driver is necessary
	1	Driving assistance	△ System can perform one task only.	×	×	YES
	2	Partial automation	〇 System can perform multitask	×	×	YES
System	3	Automation with conditions	〇	〇 Monitoring of area outside vehicle isn’t necessary. Driver can read, etc.	×	YES
	4	Advanced automation	〇	〇	〇 System can also deal with failures.	YES
	5	Full automation	〇	〇	〇	NO The ride of the driver isn’t necessary

Research Institutes That Provided Data for Sharp’s Academic Marketing

Target	Testing and Verification Organization
Efficacy proven in clinical trials	Shibaura Institute of Technology, College of Systems Engineering and Science, Department of Machinery and Control Systems
	Kyushu Sangyo University, Department of Sport Science and Health, Faculty of Human Sciences
	National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya
	Littlesoftware Inc.
	Dentsu ScienceJam Inc.
	Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo / Public Health Research Foundation
	Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University / Clinical Research Support Center, University Hospital, University of Tokyo
	National Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Georgia
	Animal Clinical Research Foundation
	Soiken Inc.
	School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology
	National Trust Co., Ltd. / HARG Treatment Center
Working mechanism of its enhancing effect on work performance	Kyushu Sangyo University, Department of Sport Science and Health, Faculty of Human Sciences
Working mechanism of inhibitory effects on viruses, fungi, and bacteria	Professor Gerhard Artmann, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Working mechanism of inhibitory effects on allergens	Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University
Working mechanism of skin moisturizing (water molecule coating) effect	Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University
Viruses	Kitasato Research Center of Environmental Sciences
	Seoul National University
	Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China
	Kitasato Institute Medical Center Hospital
	Retroscreen Virology, Ltd., UK
	Shokukanken Inc.
	University of Indonesia
	Hanoi College of Technology, Vietnam National University, Vietnam
	Institut Pasteur, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
	National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University
	Department of Microbiology, Shimane University, Faculty of Medicine
	Columbia University, Department of Medicine
Fungi	Ishikawa Health Service Association
	University of Lübeck, Germany
	Professor Gerhard Artmann, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany
	Japan Food Research Laboratories
	Shokukanken Inc.
	Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China
	Biostir Inc.
	Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University
Bacteria	Ishikawa Health Service Association
	Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China
	Kitasato Research Center of Environmental Sciences
	Kitasato Institute Medical Center Hospital
	Dr. Melvin W. First, Professor Emeritus, Harvard School of Public Health, US
	Animal Clinical Research Foundation
	University of Lübeck, Germany
	Professor Gerhard Artmann, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany
	Japan Food Research Laboratories
	Shokukanken Inc.
	Chest Disease Institute, Thailand
	Biostir Inc.
Allergens	Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University
	Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University
Safety	LSI Medience Corporation
Evaluation of effects on cells	Columbia University, Department of Medicine
Odors, pet smells	Boken Quality Evaluation Institute
	Animal Clinical Research Foundation
Skin beautifying effects	School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology
Hair beautifying effects	Saticine Medical Co., Ltd.
	C.T.C Japan Ltd.
Plant	Facility of Agriculture, Shizuoka University
Hazardous chemical substances	Sumika Chemical Analysis Service Ltd.
	Indian Institutes of Technology Delhi