As the heat wave continues day after day, Bloomberg News reported on the 4th (local time) that a "human refrigerator" that people can enter to cool down has appeared in Japan.
Japanese machine tool maker Trusco Nakayama has made and is selling a people-sized refrigerator called "Do Hiem-on Box." The product, large enough for one adult to enter, keeps the interior at 15 degrees and, when a person goes in, sprays 5-degree cold air focused on the nape of the neck to quickly lower body temperature. Inside, there is also a bench-style seat so users can sit and cool their overheated bodies.
The product was developed for use in places where installing air conditioners is difficult, such as construction sites. It has wheels for mobility and can be used by plugging into a standard electrical outlet.
However, the manufacturer explained that it was not made for staying inside for long periods to rest, but to quickly lower body temperature before symptoms of heat exhaustion or heatstroke worsen due to the heat.
Bloomberg said about 200 units of the "Do Hiem-on Box" have been sold to construction sites, steel mills, golf courses, universities, and leisure facilities since its launch earlier this year. Electricity costs are not high at about 15.8 yen per hour, but the product is expensive at 1.5 million yen per unit (about 13.55 million won).
With extreme heat waves exceeding 35 degrees becoming routine in summer, the company expects demand for the "human refrigerator" to increase in crowded places such as shopping malls and summer festival venues.