A human-sized cooling cabin in Japan is offering short-term relief from intense heat while using about half the electricity of a conventional portable air conditioner. Called the Do Hiemon Box, the unit is intended for businesses and organisations that need a temporary personal cooling point.
The device is not designed to cool an entire room or building. Instead, it gives one person a place to cool down briefly after heat exposure, with a system aimed at easing heat-related fatigue.
How the cooling cabin works
The interior of the Do Hiemon Box is kept at around 15 degrees Celsius. It also directs 5-degree-Celsius air toward the user’s head, neck, shoulders, and back.
Users can feel the cooling effect in roughly five minutes, according to the reported design of the system. Sitting inside for up to 10 minutes is said to help reduce heat fatigue by lowering body temperature.
| Feature | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Product name | Do Hiemon Box |
| Interior temperature | 15 degrees Celsius |
| Directed air temperature | 5 degrees Celsius |
| Automatic shut-off | After 20 minutes |
| Price | 1.5 million yen |
The cabin has an automatic shut-off after 20 minutes. That limit is intended to prevent the user from becoming excessively cooled during an extended stay inside the unit.
Built for workplaces and public spaces
Do Hiemon Box is equipped with wheels, allowing it to be moved when its location needs to change. It can be placed indoors or outdoors without special installation, giving operators flexibility in where they provide cooling access.
The product is currently aimed at commercial and organisational use rather than ordinary household use. Its 1.5 million yen price also places it in the category of specialised equipment for facilities that need a temporary heat-relief station.
SDRS, a manufacturer of refrigeration equipment and vending machines, developed the unit. Sales are handled by Trusco Nakayama, a supplier of industrial equipment.
Heat risk driving interest in short breaks
The product has emerged as concerns about high temperatures grow in Japan. On 15 July, extreme heat reportedly sent 48 people to hospital.
Against that backdrop, a compact cooling space could serve people working or moving through hot environments. CNBC Indonesia, citing Soranews 24, reported that the cabin is meant as a limited-duration stop rather than a substitute for conventional air conditioning.
One unit was donated to Maebashi City Hall in Gunma Prefecture earlier this year. Members of the public can use that cabin free of charge during city hall operating hours.
If heat conditions continue to intensify, similar personal cooling units may become more common in public areas. Their role would be to offer a brief cooling break to people exposed to high outdoor temperatures.
