Japan's 'human refrigerator' offers relief from deadly heatwaves

SDRS, a Japanese manufacturer of vending machines, has introduced the Do Hiemon Box, a stainless-steel cooling booth designed to combat heatstroke during extreme summer conditions. Available through Trusco Nakayama, this booth can cool an individual in just 20 minutes while using only half the energy of a portable air conditioner, releasing air as cool as five degrees Celsius. Standing at 1.75 meters, it includes a narrow seat and offers three adjustable settings, making it suitable for construction sites, factories, and outdoor events. This innovation comes in response to a record surge in heatstroke cases in Japan last year, where temperatures exceeded 40°C, resulting in 453 hospitalizations in Tokyo and at least 14 fatalities across the country. Air conditioning is responsible for three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.