Osaka company develops 'helmet cooler' for motorcyclists in scorching Japan summer

OSAKA -- A venture company in this west Japan city has developed a "helmet cooler" that motorcyclists and others can wear under their helmets during Japan's scorching summer months.

The "Helmet Aircon G2/G2mask," developed by the Osaka-based company CoolSmile, which sells cooling products, consists of a water-cooled hood, a small pump and a rechargeable battery to circulate cooled water, a bag for ice in a plastic bottle used for maintaining coolness, and other parts. The device circulates water at a temperature of about 15 degrees Celsius inside the wearer's helmet to cool their head.

Aiming to "cool down hot Japan," the company has developed products to prevent heatstroke, such as a vest to cool the wearer's body with circulating water, a bucket-shaped portable air conditioner that works with ice water and a mask that cools inhaled air. The trigger for such inventions was the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. A representative said that the company decided to make goods to protect people from the intense heat in evacuation shelters during midsummer. The company has also contributed to the spread of water-cooled suits used widely at construction sites.

President Yuzo Nakanishi commented, "The helmet cooler is the strongest measure to prevent heatstroke during motorcycle touring in the summer."

The new product is slated to go on sale in July.

(Japanese original by Nozomu Takahashi, Osaka Web Operations/News Flash Group)