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Helpful heatwave technology! New popsicle-shaped heatstroke detector!

Paula Gerhold Aug 15, 2013
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It’s no secret that from the beginning of June, heatstroke can be a real danger in Japan. But what better way to stave off the sweltering summer temperatures than taking a bite out of a sweet, frozen popsicle? The most popular Japanese ice cream treat, Gari-Gari Kun, has a new promotional campaign to keep people safe during the height of summer–a special accessory that will warn you about potential heatstrokes. Best part is, it’s shaped just like this well-known ice-cream that everybody loves!

With Tokyo averaging highs of 35 degrees C (about 94 degrees Fahrenheit) for the past week, combined with humidity levels that make it feel as though you’re swimming to work every day, dizziness and fatigue are not uncommon symptoms throughout Japan. Each year, thanks to weather shifts and increasing temperatures worldwide, the number of heatstrokes during the summer has been on the rise. Nor is this phenomenon limited to just the elderly or overly-rambunctious younguns playing outside during their vacation. Everyone from construction workers to white-collar businessmen traveling to and from conferences has the potential to fall victim to the sun’s rays.

Heatstroke happens when the human body literally cannot withstand the strain put on it by operating at such high temperatures, which can cause people to collapse. So why not make a precautionary device that can alert someone when there’s a high possibility of heatstroke? That’s what the people at Design Factory decided to do, with a little help from Gari-Gari Kun!

Branded as a portable heatstroke indicator, “Mimamo-ricchi” (taken from the word “mimamoru,” meaning “to watch over”, and the name for the Gari-Gari Rich type of popsicle), calculates the temperature and humidity in the surrounding area to give a five-level light reading of heatstroke risk during the day. If the danger level gets too high, it even sounds an alarm to warn the user.

You can check the current danger reading at any time with a press of a button, or set it to automatically scan your surroundings every ten minutes with the “Mimamori” feature.

Another fun part of the design is the removable, plastic popsicle stick. Just like the real ice cream bar, the treat has a special lottery component to it! Normally, if your dessert’s stick says “ataru” (win!) on it, you can win a free ice cream. With this heatstroke device, you can win a special gold version of the machine itself, sure to make you the envy of all your equally sweaty friends!

Avoid passing out on the hot Japanese pavement and revisit your childhood passion for ice cream on a stick all with one cool gadget!

Source: R25
Top image: Design Factory, Inset images: Design Factory