Impact of Sampling Frequency on Skin Resistance Analysis for Comfort Evaluation in Vehicle Cabins

The assessment of in-vehicle comfort using physiological measurements has gained increasing attention in recent years. Skin resistance (electrodermal activity, EDA) represents a promising indicator of sympathetic nervous system activity and thermal comfort perception. This study examines the influence of sampling frequency on the analysis of skin resistance in relation to cabin temperature, providing insights relevant for adaptive HVAC systems. Data were collected during winter test drives in Škoda Kodiaq in collaboration with Mendel University. Electrodermal activity was recorded in four participants at 1 Hz and subsequently subsampled to lower frequencies (0.5 Hz, 0.2 Hz, and 0.1 Hz). Analytical methods included correlation analysis, entropy, and variability assessment. The results demonstrated that reducing the sampling frequency led to lower correlation strength and diminished signal information content. Sampling frequency therefore has a significant impact on the accuracy and interpretability of physiological signal analysis. An optimal balance between data quality and computational efficiency was observed in the range of 0.2–0.5 Hz. These findings provide a valuable basis for developing intelligent HVAC systems that integrate physiological feedback.