Proposal of a Personal Air Management System for Sleep Assistance for Patients with Allergic Diseases

Abstract

Patients with allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, hay fever, and asthma often suffer from disrupted sleep due to symptoms like coughing, nasal congestion, and itching. These symptoms are influenced by environmental factors such as allergens, temperature, and humidity. However, conventional methods of air conditioning for entire residential spaces are not always efficient. This study proposes a method that focuses on managing the air environment within an individual’s bed space during sleep. Specifically, an inflatable structure sized for a single bed was developed to create a personal space, where purified air with controlled temperature and humidity is supplied and monitored in real time. Experimental results demonstrated that employing an insulated inflatable structure allows the use of standard household appliances to achieve target levels for air purification, humidification, and heating within one hour. However, challenges remain in implementing a compact cooling system using Peltier elements.