Kucho-fuku: No-tech strikes again

Jan 6, 2006 02:56

Kucho-fuku "airconditioned jacket" was shortlisted to the prestigious (?) 2005 IgNoble Prize, because this nice invention contributed greatly to the progress of science and technology... no, no, not at all, nihil, nada, nyet!

Kucho-fuku in action. When two fans suck in the air, the wearer bloats up like the Michelin tire man. But, it's coooooool!

Although the kucho-fuku helped quite a huge numbers of workers who otherwise had to dehydrate under the cruel sun and sweltering temperature of Japanese summer, its working principle is strictly low-tech or no-tech.

Yes, it's based on the first lesson of kindergarten physics. Evaporation = heat loss.


As you can see in the picture, two battery-powered fans suck in the air into the jacket. The airflow evaporates the perspiration efficiently and cools down the body temperature. The surplus air spills out from cuff or collar. Beautifully simple.

Your Mobile Ojisan once field-tested the kucho-fuku actually. On one hellish summer day in Tokyo. When the fans started, kucho-fuku not only cooled down my upper body, but also chilled me down, brrrr... This no-tech really worked.

Kucho-fuku was a real boon in the work environment where even the heavy-duty industrial air conditioning was totally impractical. Construction, shipyard, smelter, agricultural, forestry, and so on. Workers wholeheartedly welcomed this funny no-tech gear.

Winter edition, VestWarmer. Technically, this is a throwback to the steam engine era.

Now, Kucho-fuku winter edition has come, the VestWarmer.

Of course, VestWarmer is more no-tech than the summer edition. The electrically heated garment has been around since the 19th century. The Second World War pilots used to be burnt or grilled often in their nichrome wired flying jackets. Their primitive bi-metal thermostat was a real touch-and-go then. Also, I still wear a pair of heated gloves for my winter bike riding.

Anyway, the VestWarmer has three heating elements stashed under the vest, powered by Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Five temperature settings. Thank goodness, thermostat is electronic and accurate. You can't be cooked alive.

VestWarmer is actually an OEM from a Korean apparel manufacturer. Kucho-fuku CEO Ichigaya-san sighed: "We had a brisk sale in the last summer. But, but, we realized we had nothing to sell in winter. That's why I OEMed the VestWarmer."

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