AC vests and UV parasols: East Asia deploys heat-fighting gadgets
East Asia is experiencing a deadly heat wave, leading to the adoption of high-tech cooling products, such as air-conditioned apparel and cooling sprays, to combat the extreme temperatures.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
As East Asia's summers become hotter and longer, the market for cooling products is soaring, with employers and governments increasingly seeing them as a necessity rather than a luxury. From air-conditioned jackets to cooling vests, innovative technologies are being developed to provide relief from the heat.
Imagine you're walking outside on a really hot day, and you're feeling super hot and sweaty. That's what's happening in East Asia right now, where the summers are getting hotter and longer. To help people feel cooler, companies are making special products like air-conditioned jackets and cooling vests. These products use technology to make you feel cooler, and they're becoming really popular. Some companies are even making special devices that can cool you down really quickly, like a human-sized refrigerator!
Analysis
Cooling Products: A Growing Market in East Asia
The heat wave that has gripped East Asia this summer has led to a surge in demand for cooling products. From air-conditioned jackets to cooling vests, innovative technologies are being developed to provide relief from the heat. In Japan, the online market for 'heat countermeasure' products has expanded more than sixfold since 2020, with roughly 800,000 products listed in that category. In South Korea, the market for such products has grown dramatically over the past two years, with a major factor being the decrease in cost and increase in effectiveness of motors and batteries.
Governments and Employers Adapt to Extreme Heat
Governments and employers are increasingly adapting to extreme heat by incorporating cooling products into their strategies. In China, delivery platform Meituan is piloting 'air-con jackets' for its delivery workers in Chongqing, while in Hubei province, the state-owned power company has equipped some of its workers with waist-mounted mini fans. In Japan, the Ministry of the Environment and Tokyo's metropolitan government have promoted parasols as an effective way to reduce heat stress, while some South Korean municipalities have been outfitting their street cleaners with neon cooling vests.
Cooling Vests for Greenhouse Workers
In South Korea, the need for cooling technologies is especially great on farms, where greenhouses are one of the worst places to be during a heat wave. Kim In-soo, a researcher at the country's National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, has designed a cooling vest for greenhouse workers that is being piloted at 350 farms around the country. The vest relies on a technology known as a 'vortex tube,' which shoots cold, dry air into thin tubes that distribute it across the skin through tiny perforations running throughout the vest.
The Future of Cooling Products
As the demand for cooling products continues to grow, manufacturers are developing more innovative solutions. In Japan, one company has developed a human-sized refrigerated booth that offers quick relief at construction sites, universities, and evacuation shelters for natural disasters. Across East Asia, manufacturers are serving up solar-powered fan hats, hands-free parasols, and air-conditioned pet houses, among other specialized devices. However, Lee said cooling gadgets should not be treated as a cure-all, and that when the temperature is above 33 degrees Celsius or so, or above 91 degrees Fahrenheit, other measures should be taken to prevent heat-related illnesses.
Key points
- The heat wave in East Asia has led to a surge in demand for cooling products.
- Innovative technologies, such as air-conditioned jackets and cooling vests, are being developed to provide relief from the heat.
- Governments and employers are adapting to extreme heat by incorporating cooling products into their strategies.
- Cooling vests for greenhouse workers are being piloted in South Korea to combat the effects of heat waves on farms.
The growing demand for cooling products is a positive sign that people are taking action to combat the effects of climate change. As technology continues to improve, we can expect to see even more innovative solutions to help people stay cool in extreme heat.
However, the increasing reliance on cooling products also raises concerns about the environmental impact of these technologies. If not designed and implemented sustainably, these products could exacerbate the very problem they aim to solve.
