Breath analysis using a spirometer and volatile organic compound sensor on driving simulator

In this study the correlation between the condition of drivers and their expiration was evaluated by analyzing the exhalation of car drivers in a simulation setting using a spirometer and a volatile organic compound (VOC) gas sensor. Participants wore exhalation masks and their expiration was monitored for fluctuations in breath measurements, including VOC concentration, oxygen intake, carbon dioxide excretion, and respiration rate. Participants used a driving simulator on four different courses of varying difficulty for approximately five min each, with the mean and standard deviation (SD) being calculated for each parameter during the cruising section of the course. After driving each course, participants assessed the 'enjoyment' and 'difficulty' of their experience. It was verified whether the state of the participants during driving can be determined from exhalation by comparing the questionnaire results. The mean and SD of all exhalation parameters were analyzed using box-and-whisker plots and any statistical significance between these parameters and driver experience was tested using the analysis of variance. There was no significant difference in the correlation between the questionnaire result of 'difficulty' and each exhalation parameter. By contrast, the low assessment group of 'enjoyment' showed large SDs in all parameters from both the VOC gas sensor and spirometer.