As record-breaking heatwaves continue to push global temperatures to dangerous highs, a novel technological innovation from Japan is aiming to protect outdoor workers and the public from severe heat stroke. Japanese refrigeration specialists have unveiled a person-sized walk-in cooling booth dubbed the “human refrigerator,” designed to rapidly cool the human body in as little as 5 to 10 minutes.
Known officially as the Do Hiemon Box (or Do Reimon Box), the device is manufactured by Japanese refrigeration firm SDRS and distributed by industrial supplier Trusco Nakayama. Visually resembling a sleek, glass-fronted vending machine, the portable booth offers a quick oasis for individuals suffering from heat exposure at construction sites, factory floors, and public outdoor events.
The Do Hiemon Box maintains an interior ambient temperature of 15°C (59°F) while using targeted air jets chilled to 5°C (41°F) to cool the head, neck, shoulders directly, and back over a recommended session time of 5 to 10 minutes, featuring a maximum safety auto cutoff set at 20 minutes.
Rather than attempting to cool an entire room or large open area, the booth operates on precise, targeted refrigeration technology adapted from industrial frozen food equipment.
When a user steps inside and takes a seat, the chamber maintains a steady interior ambient temperature of 15°C (59°F). Simultaneously, specialized jets blast localized air chilled to approximately 5°C (41°F) directly at the user’s key thermal regulation points the head, neck, shoulders, and back.
“The booth focuses on cooling the human body where it matters most,”* explained representatives behind the project’s industrial development. “By concentrating cold air on major vascular points, users experience rapid relief and a swift decline in core temperature far faster than traditional air-conditioned rooms can provide.”
To safeguard users against hypothermia or overcooling, the unit features three adjustable airflow settings and an automatic shut-off safety mechanism that caps sessions at a maximum of 20 minutes.
The urgent demand for rapid cooling solutions follows consecutive years of extreme summer conditions. Emergency services have reported tens of thousands of hospitalizations linked to severe heat exhaustion and heatstroke among outdoor workers during peak summer months.
Mobile and fully equipped with heavy-duty casters, the self-contained booth requires no complex installation and runs on standard electrical power while consuming roughly half the energy of a conventional mobile air conditioning unit.
Priced at approximately 1.5 million yen (around $9,200 USD), the units are currently targeted at corporate entities, local governments, and industrial job sites aiming to enhance safety measures for vulnerable workers.
