Japanese electronics company Sharp claims its air purifying technology can boost players’ performance in first-person shooters. The company announced on September 3 that its proprietary Plasmacluster technology, used in air purifiers, was shown to improve competitive play in Valorant through a scientific study.
Conducted by researchers at Nishinippon Institute of Technology and Kyushu Sangyo University, the study used pro players from the esports team QT DIG∞ as test subjects. Players competed under two conditions: with Plasmacluster ion emission active, and without ion emission. They weren’t told which conditions they were playing under.
Performance was evaluated using both objective indicators, such as ADR (average damage per round). K/D (Kill/Death ratio) and KDA (Kill+Assist/Death ratio); and subjective indicators, i.e. the players’ self-reported impressions. Results showed that when playing Valorant with Plasmacluster ion emission, the team’s ADR rose by 18, and their K/D ratio rose by 0.17 on average, with the KDA ratio rising by 0.26. Players also reported faster reaction times, wider spatial awareness, and improved team coordination.
