Air Conditioning -- Engadget

air conditioning posts

Suzukaze air conditioned seat cushion keeps the hindquarters cool

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 9th 2008 at 2:23PM

Kuchofuku is on the loose again, this time creating an air conditioned seat cushion to keep your fundament breezy. Reportedly, the unit can be powered via an AC adapter, car adapter or rechargeable batteries, and the built-in fan can move over 170 liters of air per minute in order to "dissipate heat and moisture around the buttocks that causes discomfort and sweating." Well, when you put it like that, $89 seems like a real bargain.

[Via Gearlog]

AOKI's deodorizing suits keep you so fresh, so clean (clean)

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 31st 2008 at 3:43PM

We're not even going to front -- some seriously bizarre air conditioning-related gizmos have emerged from the great nation of Japan. The latest concoction to deal with heat wave side effects actually has nothing to do with keeping folks cool; rather, AOKI's deodorant suits are designed to keep businessmen suffering from Hyperhidrosis adequately fresh. Most of the details are lost in (machine) translation, but all you need to know is that these outfits "suck out the smell of sweat using a silver ion." Yeah, that's totally worth the ¥61,950 ($575) asking price.

[Via CrunchGear, image courtesy of ListVerse]

Intel, Embraco team up on cooling laptop docking station

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 21st 2007 at 6:40PM

Sure, there's a number of pre-fabricated (and DIY) laptop cooling options already out there, but apparently, Intel and Embraco saw the need for one more. Granted, the External Chilled Air Docking Station is still in prototype form, but early peeks showed the device packing a minuscule "compressor that cools the air before flowing into the bottom of the laptop" as well as thermal sensors to show the "air temperature before and after the refrigeration process takes place." Reportedly, the docking station could work with a variety of lappies by simply moving the "air ducts and vent holes" around. The cooler could hit store shelves before Christmas if things go as planned, and while we wouldn't jot this down in ink, the price could purportedly hover around $150.

[Via SlashGear]

Grad student bolts air-conditioner onto car to beat Texas heat

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 11th 2007 at 8:50PM

Trust us, Texas isn't the only place on the verge of melting right now, but this solution to solving one's automotive AC problems is the perfect marriage of tawdry and frugal. As you can clearly see in the photo above, a University of Houston graduate student opted to retrofit a home air-conditioner into his vehicle rather than coughing up $1,200 to have it repaired the right way, and while we've no idea how much he spent on the unit itself, the wiring, or the additional gas thanks to the added drag, we have a sneaking suspicion that this mod was about more than dollars and cents. Click on through for a few more photos, but please refrain from trying this on your own ride, cool?

[Via Wired]

Continue reading Grad student bolts air-conditioner onto car to beat Texas heat

Perspiring man electrocuted by his PC

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 31st 2007 at 11:40PM

A 20-year old student in Shanghai's Yangpu District perished after being "electrocuted by his computer." Reportedly, the man removed the external case from his desktop to prevent it from overheating in the non-air conditioned room, and when his legs came into contact with the innards, the resulting shock left him deceased. Initial investigations by local police confirmed that he was indeed electrocuted, yet there was no reason given as to why the individual refused to switch on the cooling system.

[Via The Raw Feed]

Komfort Pets' climate-controlled pet carrier

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 30th 2007 at 2:19PM

For the seasoned traveler who just can't leave their home country without bringing along their dear pet, Komfort Pets is out to make your animal's trip much more bearable. The firm's climate-controlled carrier not only cools Fido off when the ambient temperature reaches 72-degrees Fahrenheit, but also utilizes its patent-pending technology to heat things up if the outside air temperature dips below 65-degrees. The crate is said to be suitable for non-climate-controlled garages, and could be equally useful in homes, cars, boats, or RVs. Currently, a 19-inch x 13-inch x 16-inch rendition is available for $399, and while this one is only meant to hold creatures up to 12.5-pounds, larger carriers are slated for release later this year.

[Via BookOfJoe]

Entrak's ventilationVest cools you down, ensures public humiliation

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 12th 2007 at 1:14AM

Air conditioned clothing is far from new, but thanks to Entrak, now the civilians in the crowd can don their own AC-equipped vest -- if you don't mind getting stared at while out in public, that is. The aptly-named ventilationVest is dubbed a "personal climate system" wrapped inside of an otherwise vanilla polyester vest, and reportedly utilizes "two battery-powered ventilation units concealed in its side pockets to circulate air" through a permeable liner. Additionally, the vest weighs just under three-pounds with all the gadgetry strapped in, and can purportedly keep a fresh breeze flowin' for a whopping eight hours sans a recharge. Unfortunately, there's no word on how much this fan-filled article will run you, and yes, it looks like that clashtastic blue will be your only color choice when ordering.

[Via MedLaunches]

Kuchofuku's air conditioned bed, clothing line

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 29th 2007 at 6:18AM

Sure, you could blow a cool million on a bed you'd never sleep on, but why not grab one that actually provides some relief (and won't run you $5k a month... forever) after a hard day in the blazing sun? Enter Kuchofuku, who certainly has the right idea with its air conditioned sleeper and clothing line. The makeshift bed, which only weighs 5.3-pounds, utilizes dual fans to pull air in and circulate it through the cushion beneath you. Of course, it'd be a modern tragedy to have to rise and leave such a pleasant scenario, but you can solve that dilemma as well care of the air conditioned shirt. The button-up garb touts an integrated fan that is purportedly powered via USB, which means that your armpits can now remain fresh regardless of how infrequent the AC kicks on at the office. A cooler night's sleep is but $399 away, while the new threads (seen after the jump) will run you a staggering $159 apiece.

[Via CScout, thanks Mike]

Continue reading Kuchofuku's air conditioned bed, clothing line

Herman Miller's tiny C2 creates office micro-climates

by Conrad Quilty-Harper, posted Jun 10th 2007 at 4:45PM

Battling over control of the office thermostat / air conditioning tends to be a passive aggressive flashpoint in any place of work, so even though this will undoubtedly set off some environmental alarms, the C2 climate control definitely fills a niche. Replacing the role of a regular personal fan, the C2 from Herman Miller allows users to adjust the surrounding temperature up to a 40 degree increase, and an 8 degree decrease, taking 72 degrees F (22 degrees C) as the starting temperature. The aforementioned environmental issues does raise the question of how far this technology should go, especially since office unity can't be that great if an issue as trivial as temperature can't be agreed upon. Still, we're not one to complain about having things easier in our work environments: not that we'd know anything about working in an office.

[Via Reuters]

SolCool showcases new solar-powered air conditioners

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 23rd 2007 at 6:42AM

Not exactly fitting the "startup" criteria any longer, SolCool is apparently freshening up its product lines by offering a snazzy new solar-powered air conditioner. Aimed at cooling smaller areas than its two-ton hybrid chiller, the 24- x 24- x 48-inch V4 actually touts cooling and heating abilities, runs on a 24-volt system, and can supposedly kick out comfortable air for "up to 24 hours" once fully charged by the sun. Additionally, the device will be equipped with two DC compressors capable of producing up to 18,000 BTUs, a ducted ventilation blower, lightweight / rugged skin, condensate management tank, remote control thermostat, and it can even be configured for use in the US or UK. Unfortunately, details specifications and pricing information hasn't been divulged to the general public just yet, but considering that Spring has now sprung, you should probably expect a bit more promotional information to surface relatively soon.

[Via Gadgets-Weblog]

Haier Korea showing off networked air conditioners

by Cyrus Farivar, posted Oct 18th 2006 at 11:30AM

We're not exactly sure what gives an air conditioner "artificial intelligence," but our buds at AVING claim to have found one at the Korea Electronics Show, now underway in Seoul. Haier Korea, the Korean branch of the Chinese manufacturing jack-of-all-trades showed off two models, including the KFRd-72LW/O ("standard type") and the KFRd-35GW/O ("wall mounted type"). Both come with an LED display (but what doesn't these days?), an air purifier, an anion generator and dehumidifier. And if that wasn't enough, how about the fact that both air conditioners can be controlled via cell phone or PDA? Yeah, we know you want one -- sadly, we don't know when these will be released, nor how many South Korean won you'll have to dish out to get 'em. Keep reading if you're interested in a close-up of the display, or if you just like watching seals slide down snowy hills on their tummies...

Continue reading Haier Korea showing off networked air conditioners