Japan Has Engineered a Human-Sized Refrigerator to Combat the Country's Deadly Summer Heatwaves
TRUSCO Nakayama’s Do Hiemon Box blasts chilled air in three modes, offering mobile climate relief for Japan’s construction sites and outdoor events.
Summary
Features three cooling modes and an automatic shut-off timer to help the body safely acclimate to temperature changes
Designed for mobility with caster locking wheels and compatibility with standard 100V electrical outlets
Constructed with stainless-steel panels and polystyrene insulation for high energy efficiency and IPX3-rated weather resistance
Developed by Japanese industrial supplier TRUSCO Nakayama and refrigeration specialist Sanden Retail Systems, the Do Hiemon Box is a portable cooling booth engineered to provide immediate relief from extreme temperatures. The human refrigerator operates similarly to the ubiquitous vending machines found across Japan. The unit maintains an ambient internal temperature of 15 degrees Celsius while directing 5-degree chilled air toward the head, neck and shoulders of the user. This targeted airflow effectively combats heat exhaustion symptoms in approximately 10 minutes.
Rapidly cooling the human body after severe heat exposure carries inherent physiological risks. The engineering team integrated three distinct cooling modes and an automatic shut-off timer that activates after 20 minutes to address these safety concerns. This mechanism ensures the body can safely adapt to sudden temperature shifts before returning to the sun. The booth measures two meters tall and features an IPX3-rated stainless-steel exterior lined with polystyrene insulation boards for maximum thermal efficiency.
The context for this heavy-duty hardware stems from increasingly brutal climate conditions. Japan experienced a terrifying benchmark recently when over 100,000 individuals were transported to hospitals for heatstroke in a single season. The staggering hospitalization rates prompted local governments and corporations to seek aggressive countermeasures. One of the initial cooling booths was even donated to Maebashi City Hall for free public use during business hours to protect vulnerable residents.
Intended primarily for commercial environments where traditional air conditioning fails, the mobility-focused booth rolls on caster locking wheels and requires no complex installation. The machine runs off any standard 100-volt outlet and consumes roughly half the electricity of a standard industrial spot cooler. Operating at a cost of just 16 yen per hour, the base model is priced at 1.5 million yen before taxes. Buyers can also specify optional upgrades like crane eyebolts and portable power stations for off-grid deployment across construction sites and outdoor event venues.
