What Is Japan's 'Human Refrigerator'? Inside The Do Hiemon Box Built To Beat Extreme Heat
What Is Japan's 'Human Refrigerator'? Inside The Do Hiemon Box Built To Beat Extreme Heat Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 08:36 IST The
What Is Japan's 'Human Refrigerator'? Inside The Do Hiemon Box Built To Beat Extreme Heat Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 08:36 IST The Do Hiemon Box offers targeted cooling instead of cooling entire rooms, making it a novel solution for workers facing intense summer temperatures. Rapid Read The Do Hiemon Box is a personal cooling booth built to help people recover from extreme heat. As climate change fuels longer and more intense heatwaves, Japan has introduced an unusual yet practical innovation to help people beat the heat a walk-in cooling booth popularly dubbed the “human refrigerator." Officially named the Do Hiemon Box, the one-person cooling booth has been developed by Japanese refrigeration and vending machine manufacturer SDRS and is distributed by industrial equipment supplier Trusco Nakayama. Designed primarily for workers exposed to extreme temperatures, the booth aims to provide rapid cooling after prolonged heat exposure. Unlike a conventional refrigerator, the Do Hiemon Box is not meant to freeze the body. Instead, it creates a controlled cooling environment that helps users recover from heat more quickly. What Is the Do Hiemon Box? The Do Hiemon Box is a portable, walk-in cooling booth built for one person at a time. Inspired by Japan’s refrigerated vending machines, it resembles a large vending machine from the outside but contains a seat where users can sit while chilled air circulates around them. The unit is intended for locations where workers are regularly exposed to high temperatures, such as • Construction sites • Factories • Warehouses • Logistics hubs • Outdoor event venues • Farms Shopping malls • Schools Sports facilities How Does the Human Refrigerator Work?
The cooling booth maintains an interior temperature of around 15°C. Once a user sits inside on the built-in chair, chilled air at approximately 5°C is directed toward the head, neck, shoulders and back areas that play an important role in releasing body heat. According to SDRS, users begin to feel noticeably cooler within about five minutes, while spending around 10 minutes inside may help ease symptoms associated with heat exhaustion by lowering body temperature. These performance figures are manufacturer claims and have not been independently verified in published clinical studies. Features of the Do Hiemon Box • The cooling booth includes several features designed for workplace use • Interior temperature maintained at around 15°C • Chilled airflow of approximately 5°C • Three adjustable airflow and cooling modes • Built-in seating Automatic shut-off after 20 minutes to reduce the risk of overcooling • Mounted on wheels for easy movement • No permanent installation required Suitable for indoor and outdoor use • Operates on a standard Japanese power supply Why Did Japan Build It? Japan has experienced increasingly severe summers in recent years, with high temperatures contributing to a rise in heat-related illnesses. Outdoor workers including construction crews, warehouse employees, delivery staff and factory workers are among the groups most vulnerable to heat stress. The Do Hiemon Box has been designed as a workplace cooling solution that allows people to cool down during breaks without needing an air-conditioned room. Why Is It Needed? Extreme heat is becoming one of the fastest-growing weather-related health risks worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), heat stress is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in many regions, while climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of heatwaves.
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