As excessive heat blankets the globe from Phoenix to Athens, entrepreneurs are responding by developing a wide range of portable cooling devices that can help minimize health hazards for everyone from infants to outdoor workers. Last week’s Extreme Heat Countermeasures Exhibition in Tokyo focused on ways to keep workers cool in high-temperature areas such as construction sites and factories and limit the risk of heat stroke. Consumers and public institutions are increasingly interested in the items as fossil fuel emissions accelerate climate change and July is projected to be the world’s hottest month on record.
“The heat is just getting extraordinary in the last decade-it’s not something that will suddenly disappear next year”
“We’re getting more orders from public facilities, like school gyms, to use our product,” said Hayato Ohashi, who works in sales at industrial fan manufacturer Earth Blower Japan Inc. “The heat is just getting extraordinary in the last decade-it’s not something that will suddenly disappear next year.” Japan has one of the world’s oldest populations, and its people are particularly vulnerable to severe temperatures. According to the environment ministry, 86% of heat wave deaths in 2020 were among those over the age of 65. And Japan isn’t the only country working to protect people: US President Joe Biden recently stated that the country will spend $100 billion each year to protect Americans from excessive heat.
Here are six cooling products on display at the Tokyo trade expo
1. Beds and baby carriers
For decades, Tokyo-based Kuchofuku Co. has produced fan-equipped gear such as vests and jackets that are popular among Japanese construction workers. Some of the company’s products have been reworked as casual apparel and household supplies for broad consumers. Cooling gear with fans works by accelerating airflow to dry perspiration and often uses less energy than air conditioning. The method works best in humid environments when perspiration does not evaporate efficiently. Kuchofuku’s goods included a baby carrier with a fan and a bed. The mattress, which is constructed of a sheet of flexible, mesh-like cushioning, has an electric fan at the foot that draws air from the headboard to improve circulation and keep the sheets dry. The infant carrier fans are powered by batteries.
2. Large-scale fans
Earth Blower Japan manufactures large-scale fans nearly 2 meters (6 feet 6 inches) tall, which blows visitors passing by its exhibit with a forceful breeze. Fans come in a number of styles, each bearing the name of a Japanese deity, such as the thunder god “Raijin” or the wind god “Fujin Max.” Ohashi stressed the versatility of fans, stating that they may be readily transferred to new locations and provide rapid comfort. Although factories and logistics hubs are the company’s typical customers, it has also hired out its blowers for use at stadiums, including several athletic events during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Fans can also help to reduce power bills. Although costs fluctuate depending on the cost of power, Ohashi stated that running its largest fan for eight hours a day for a month excluding weekends typically only costs around 10,000 yen ($72).
3. Safety helmets
Many of the items on show were aimed at outdoor workers. Because of Japan’s elderly population, many of its construction and agricultural workers are at greater risk of heat stroke. Toyo Safety Industrial Co. of Hyogo prefecture displayed a safety helmet with a fan fitted at the base that circulates air around the wearer’s head. The detachable and rechargeable fans.
4. Wearables
Biodata Bank Inc., based in Tokyo, has created a wearable gadget that informs people when they are at risk of heatstroke. When the wearer’s core body temperature hits unhealthy levels, the Heat Warning Watch Canaria beeps. The watch costs 4,950 yen and may be worn for four months without charge. The device is intended for use by outdoor workers and athletes. The product is currently available in Japan and Europe, and the company has observed an upsurge in demand in European countries during recent heat waves.
5. For pets
Some companies are interested in developing products for four-legged animals. A-Mec Co. created a mesh vest with pockets to hold cold packs for dogs to keep them cool in hot weather. The vests, which come in four sizes and cost between 4,950 and 7,150 yen, are also available in the United States. Businesses are becoming more conscious of the demand for animal cooling items, and retailers such as Sweet Mommy sell fan-based cooling vests for pets.
