• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.309-316
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• 2010

This paper proposes healthcare bathing system for improving the multisensory function and not washing. We designed various types of bathtub for developing bathing system. This system consists of whirlpool bathtub for multisensory stimulation, a cover of bathtub with visual-auditory stimulation function, a small size PC for main control, touch panel, digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB), color-changeable LED mood lighting system for improving visual sensibility and speaker. We investigate the effects on autonomic nervous system during bathing with healthcare bathing system for improving the multisensory functions. To analysis physiological parameter, body temperature, blood pressure, intraocular pressure and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured before, during and after bath using healthcare bathing system. Experiments were performed on partial immersion bath and the water temperature was kept $39{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$. The body temperature and the heart rate variability of the subject were measured every 5 minutes before, during, and after the bath. In analysis of HRV, the parasympathetic nerve increased from starting bath and decreased after 15 minutes. So the subjects felt comfortable at 15 minutes after starting bath. Blood pressure decreased to 16mmHg maximumly however pulse increased. Bath using healthcare bathing system for improving the multisensory functions affects positively the circulation of the blood. From this results, it leaves something to be desired in evaluation of serviceability and physiological analysis using the healthcare bathing system, however, we expect to analyze more clearly the relationship between the serviceability of product, physiological change and sensibility by various physiological parameters.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.41-49
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• 2013

This study finds out the aged consumers' needs on the developing elderly friendly and sensitive bathtub. This bathtub focuses on enhancement of multi-senses and enhancement of health, safety & convenience during bath. The enhancing multi-senses would have four functions; therapy with color and aroma, the massage with micro water bubbles, the visual and auditory with TV & cinema, and the auditory with music and radio. Also, enhancing others of bathtub would have seven functions; emergency bell, blood-pressure check system for health condition, water temperature indicator, keeping water warm, reading a book in that, and controlling of house entrance door and a getting the phone during bath. The aged consumers' needs find throughout a questionnaire survey, and 497 data was analyzed. The main results are as follow. They consider a full bath behavior as a healthcare. They have an intention to purchase or use the elderly and friendly bathtub, and they prefer using it in common facilities to using it at home. They highly need health related function of bathtub, which are massage (64.4%), blood-pressure check system (55.1%) and aroma therapy (45.7%). The emergency bell (67.0%), keeping water warm (62.2%), and water temperature indicator (49.7%), related to safety & information function of bathtub, are needed. Also, they think tolerance for error and low physical effort in bathtub design alternative, opening door and inside sitting support, to be important.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.347-358
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• 2010

As life gets richer along with social development, the interest in composure of life and in quality of life gets higher. According to this, a concept on bathroom, which had been simply physiological sanitary space before, is being gradually changed, thereby being reborn as space of charging vitality of life and of realizing own desire. As these consumers' new desire is emerged, it is being highlighted the behavior of being made in space now called 'bathroom', the requirements for this space, and the interest in what aims to be pursued. However, current Korean people have different bathroom behavior such as using outside bathtub or filling a washbasin with water unlike the center on stand-up shower in the West, thereby having inconvenience. Accordingly, when bathroom is designed that reflects Korean people's bathroom behavior, the satisfaction with using bathroom will be able to be enhanced. This study aims to increase the use satisfaction with bathroom space, to survey Korean people's situations of using bathroom, the inconvenience in using, and the general emotion, and to elicit requirements for bathroom users and basic design guidelines available for reflecting the health in planning bathroom space, the space of solving sanitary problem, and the modern people's physical features and lifestyle.