FIELD

The invention relates to a device for pre senting the loss of cognitive performance as defined in claim 1, and use of the device as defined in claim 12.

BACKGROUND

It is known that a person's cognitive perfor mance weakens when the person becomes tired. There are various factors contributing to a person becoming tired. One tiredness-adding factor is increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in inhaled air.

OBJECT

An object of the invention is to provide a new type of manner to monitor human cognitive perfor mance, and particularly weakening thereof. In addi tion, an object of the invention is to provide a new device to indicate the cognitive performance and loss es therein in real time. In addition, an object of the invention is to provide a device to determine the car bon dioxide concentration in ambient air in real time. In addition, an object of the invention is to improve response to the condition of people in real time.

SUMMARY

The device and the use thereof according to the invention are characterized by the features set out in the claims.

The device comprises at least means for meas uring carbon dioxide concentration and determining a loss of cognitive performance, and a display device for presenting the abovementioned parameters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A device for presenting the loss of cognitive performance comprises at least one measurement sensor continuously measuring carbon dioxide concentration in ambient air, a display device presenting the carbon dioxide concentration in ambient air and the loss of cognitive performance in relation to the carbon diox ide concentration in the air, and control software de termining the loss of cognitive performance in rela tion to the measured carbon dioxide concentration in the air.

In this connection, cognitive performance re fers to human cognitive functions generally known per se, e.g. functions related to perception, thought, memory, problem solving, decision making and/or learn ing, on which functions an increase in carbon dioxide in inhaled air has a weakening, such as a tiring, ef fect. The carbon dioxide concentration in air is in versely proportional to human performance.

The measurement sensor used may be any suita ble measurement sensor by which the carbon dioxide concentration in air may be measured.

In this connection, a display device refers to any display device or device having a display, which device has a suitable display for presenting figures and/or graphics on the basis of measurement and/or determination results. The display device used may be any suitable display device, e.g. a separate display, computer, personal digital assistant, tablet or a corresponding computer, a mobile telephone, smartphone or a corresponding device, or another suit able device. In one embodiment the display of the dis play device is a touchscreen or the like. In this connection, control software refers to any suitable software, program or the like, by which a loss of cognitive performance may be deter mined on the basis of measured measurement results. In one embodiment the display device comprises the control software. In one embodiment the present device compris es a separate device comprising the control software and connected to the measurement sensor and to the dis play device.

In one embodiment the control software is ar ranged to determine a change in the loss of cognitive performance in relation to a measured increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in air in such a way that a zero level of the loss of cognitive performance is configured to correspond to a normal carbon dioxide concentration in air. In one embodiment the normal carbon dioxide concentration is defined to be 400 ppm. However, the normal carbon dioxide concentration in air can vary at different areas and sites, and it is expectable that in future the normal carbon dioxide concentration in air will increase, particularly in urban environments. If necessary, the normal carbon dioxide concentration may be modified easily in the device, e.g. by means of the display device and/or the control software.

In one embodiment the control software is ar ranged to determine a change in the loss of cognitive performance in relation to a measured increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in air in such a way that a value 400 ppm of the carbon dioxide concentration in air is configured to correspond to a value 0 of the loss of cognitive performance, and a value 800 ppm of the carbon dioxide concentration in air is configured to correspond to a value -20% of the loss of cognitive performance. The values specified herein are based on currently known published research results. According to the current knowledge, good cognitive performance is achieved when the carbon dioxide concentration in air is 400 - 600 ppm.

In one embodiment the device, such as the con trol software thereof, is arranged to store measurement data of the carbon dioxide concentration in air and the losses of cognitive performance determined therefrom. In one embodiment the device comprises a storage por tion or device. In one embodiment the display device comprises a memory or a storage space. In one embodi ment the control software is arranged to store the data and keep in storage the data of a specific predeter mined time interval, e.g. of the time of 1 - 24 hours.

In one embodiment the display device is ar ranged to present stored carbon dioxide concentration and cognitive performance history data. In one embodi ment the stored data of the time of 1 - 24 hours are presentable. In one embodiment the display device is arranged to present the stored carbon dioxide concen tration and cognitive performance history data of a de sired time as a graph, e.g. curves, bars or other graphics.

In one embodiment a timeline of the stored carbon dioxide concentration and cognitive performance history data is selectable. In one embodiment the de vice or the display device thereof is provided with se lection elements, e.g. at least one controller, selec tion button, selection box, selection field, text field or the like, by which selecting may be performed. By the selection element a desired timeline for presenting the stored history data may be selected. Corresponding selection elements may also be provided for controlling other data. In one embodiment the display device has a touchscreen by means of which selecting may be per formed, values adjusted or the device controlled.

In one embodiment the device comprises an alarm device giving an alarm when a predetermined car bon dioxide concentration is exceeded in ambient air. In one embodiment the alarm and/or an alarm limit may be determined by means of the control software. In one embodiment the alarm limit may be controlled with a suitable selection element. The alarm may be given for one or more crossings over a carbon dioxide concentra tion limit. In one embodiment, at least one alarm limit is arranged to be a carbon dioxide concentration of 600 - 1000 ppm, e.g. 800 ppm. The alarm may be indicated in a suitable manner, e.g. by sound, color and/or other suitable manner.

In one embodiment, in a display area of carbon dioxide concentration and/or loss of cognitive perfor mance of the display device, desired color codes are arranged to illustrate a level of the respective val ues.

The device according to the invention may be used in a desired space, work space, office, meeting room, coworking space, school and/or other correspond ing space to determine the carbon dioxide concentra tion in air and/or the loss of cognitive performance, and in various combinations thereof.

With the device according to the invention, the carbon dioxide concentration may be measured con tinuously, and by means thereof the changes in carbon dioxide concentration in air and in cognitive perfor mance, particularly in the loss of cognitive perfor mance, may be presented in real time. Accordingly, thanks to the invention, the condition of people may be responded to faster and better in real time.

The device according to the invention may be produced easily and cost efficiently. The device is easy to use, and it may be used in practically all situations and conditions.

LIST OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 illustrates one device according to the invention for presenting a loss of cognitive per- formance in relation to carbon dioxide concentration in air.

EXAMPLES

The invention will now be described by means of a detailed example of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying figure.

A device for presenting the loss of cognitive performance as illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises one measurement sensor (2) continuously measuring carbon dioxide concentration in ambient air, and a display device (1) presenting carbon dioxide concentration (3) in ambient air and loss (4) of cognitive performance in relation to carbon dioxide concentration in the air on a display. In addition, the device comprises con trol software which is part of the display device and which determines the loss of cognitive performance in relation to measured carbon dioxide concentration in the air.

The display device is in the device of Fig. 1 a tablet, and the display of the display device is a touchscreen.

In the device of Fig. 1 the control software is arranged to determine a change in the loss of cogni tive performance in relation to a measured increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in air in such a way that a value 400 ppm of the carbon dioxide concentra tion in air is configured to correspond to a value 0 of the loss of cognitive performance, and a value 800 ppm of the carbon dioxide concentration in air is config ured to correspond to a value -20% of the loss of cog nitive performance.

In the device of Fig. 1 the display device comprises a memory, and the control software is ar- ranged to store carbon dioxide concentration and cog nitive performance data and keep in storage the data of a predetermined time interval. In addition, the display device is arranged to present stored carbon dioxide concentration and cognitive performance histo ry data (5), e.g. of the time of 1 - 24 hours, in the form of graphics on the display.

The device of Fig. 1 may be provided with an alarm device giving an alarm when a predetermined car bon dioxide concentration is exceeded in ambient air. In addition, on the display of the display device, in a display area of the carbon dioxide concentration (3) and/or the loss (4) of cognitive performance, desired color codes may be arranged to illustrate a level of the respective values, e.g. red color to illustrate very high carbon dioxide concentration.

The measurement sensor, the display device and the control software used may be devices and software known per se, and they are not described in any more detail in this connection.

The device according to Fig. 1 may be used in any situation, e.g. indoors, to measure the carbon di oxide concentration in ambient air, to verify a change in the carbon dioxide concentration and thereby to present the loss of cognitive performance in real time.

The device according to the invention is suitable as different embodiments for use in a variety of applications.

The invention is not limited merely to the above-described examples, but many modifications are possible within the scope of the inventive idea de fined by the claims.