As Japan faces increasingly intense summers, companies are coming up with innovative ways to help people cope with soaring temperatures. One of the latest inventions is a one-person cooling booth that its makers describe as a "human refrigerator", according to Japan Today.
Called the Do Hiemon Box, the cooling booth has been developed by Japanese refrigeration and vending machine manufacturer SDRS and is sold by industrial equipment supplier Trusco Nakayama. Inspired by Japan's refrigerated vending machines, the booth is designed to cool the human body quickly, Japan Today reported.
The booth maintains an internal temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. Once a person sits on the built-in chair, chilled air at around 5 degrees Celsius is directed towards the head, neck, shoulders and back, providing almost instant relief from the heat.
According to the company, users begin to feel noticeably cooler within about five minutes. Spending around 10 minutes inside may also help reduce the symptoms of heat exhaustion by lowering body temperature quickly. The cooling booth is aimed mainly at people working in hot conditions, including construction sites, factories, warehouses and outdoor event venues.
The Do Hiemon Box comes with three airflow and cooling settings and automatically switches off after 20 minutes to prevent excessive cooling. It uses around half the electricity consumed by a standard spot air conditioner. The unit also requires no installation, can be used indoors or outdoors, and is fitted with wheels for easy movement.
The launch comes as Japan continues to battle extreme summer temperatures. The country has recently introduced new terminology for days when temperatures cross 40 degrees Celsius. Rising temperatures have also led to an increase in heatstroke cases. On July 15 alone, 48 people were taken to hospital in Tokyo after suffering heatstroke, Japan Today reported.
The Do Hiemon Box is now available in Japan through industrial equipment distributors. The standard model is priced at 1.5 million yen, excluding tax. While it is currently intended mainly for businesses and organisations, the company believes such cooling booths could become a common feature in public spaces if extreme summer heat continues to intensify.
