China’s latest wearable tech is an air-conditioning system tailored for hazmat suits
- The wearable device, weighing around 3 kilograms, can adjust the temperature in a range from 16 to 25 degrees Celsius, and operate for 3 hours after fully charged
- The abrupt increase in number of Chinese workers wearing head-to-toe protective gear during the pandemic has increased potential demand for mini cooling devices
A home appliance manufacturer in China has developed a wearable air-conditioning system tailored for hazmat-suited Covid-19 workers as daily testing becomes the new normal for millions across the country.
MBO Group, a Guangdong-based maker of appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators, made a splashy product launch last week, with models dressing up as hazmat workers and police to showcase the innovation.
The wearable device, weighing around 3 kilograms, comes with a cooling vest and an air conditioning system. It can adjust the temperature in a range from 16 to 25 degrees Celsius, and operate for 3 hours after fully charged, the company said.
Mainly targeting outdoor workers such as Covid-19 control staff, traffic police, and maintenance electricians, the product will be mass-produced this year with output reaching 200,000 units, according to the company.
“During mass nucleic acid testing, the front-line medical staff and volunteers work in thick and airtight protective clothing and often sweat a lot,” said MBO Group chairman Yu Fangwen, adding that it would help the country’s pandemic control efforts.
The device is priced at 8,888 yuan (US$1,360) per unit, with a “pro” version going for 12,888 yuan.
MBO began research into wearable air-conditioning systems in 2016 and launched its first product in 2017. In Japan, Sony launched its own wearable air conditioning device in 2019 via a crowdfunding campaign.