Notes
(*1) Large-scale demonstration tests in 7 countries including Japan using the "Heat Warning Watch Canaria" (summer 2019): Under the theme of "Can heat stroke be prevented?", demonstration tests were conducted under a wide variety of conditions on a wide range of subjects, including club activities of students of junior high school and above, workers in hot workplace, and senior citizens. The experiment was conducted on approximately 4,000 subjects, 180 alarms were triggered, and not a single person suffered from heat stroke as a result.
(*2) The product name symbolizes “the canary in a the coal mine”, since they used to warn workers of danger in advance. They were taken to the mine shaft in a cage because they sensed the presence of toxic gas before humans did and stopped singing.
(*3) Deep body temperature is different from "skin temperature (surface body temperature)," which is easily affected by the outside environment, and is maintained at a constant temperature to protect the brain, organs, and other central body functions.
(*4) [Patent No.] Patent No. 6755034
"Heat Warning Watch Canaria", Which Provides Advance Warning of Risk Under Heat
Biodata Bank, Inc.
| Publication date | April 10, 2023 (Posted on December 20, 2023) |
|---|---|
| Sector | Human Health |
Company Overview
Biodata Bank develop and manufacture products mainly related to body temperature and provide solutions using various sensors. We conducted a large-scale experiment (*1) with the Ministry of the Environment in 2019 and has been selling Heat Warning Watch Canaria(*2) since 2021. From 2022, we also began selling the product in France and throughout the EU.
Climate Change Impacts
With the impact of climate change, heat waves are becoming more intense every year, and the thermal risk is increasing as a result.
Under normal conditions, the human body naturally regulates its temperature by allowing body heat to escape through perspiration and increased skin temperature, even if the body temperature rises. However, when the balance between the body temperature rise and the body temperature regulation function is disrupted by "environmental factors" such as high humidity, "physical factors" such as poor physical condition including lack of sleep, and "behavioral factors" such as prolonged outdoor work, heat builds up in the body which leads to heat stroke.
To prevent the invisible risk of heat, a presence is required to inform people that they are at risk.
Adaptation Initiatives
We developed the “Heat Stroke Prevention Watch Canaria”, which detects the risk of heat stroke in advance (Figs. 1 and 2).
It is known that the risk of heat stroke increases when the deep body temperature (*3) is generally between 38.0°C and 38.5°C. The "Heat Warning Watch Canaria" is equipped with a proprietary technology called "Heat Cramp Sensor®︎" (*4) that detects the body's heat production and dissipation to estimate deep body temperature using a proprietary algorithm. If the deep body temperature rises and the risk of heat stroke is detected, the wearer is warned in advance with an alarm sound and red LED light. When the alarm sounds, the wearer is recommended to take action such as rehydrating and/or resting in a cool place.
The alarm sound is tuned to 4 kHz, the frequency range to which humans are most sensitive, enabling the wearer to instantly respond.
Canaria is designed to be used for a single season (3-4 months) and has simple specifications with no clock, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other communication functions, so that Canaria can be used easily and conveniently at any time by a variety of people, including children and senior citizens, who are at relatively high risk of heat-related illness.
Effects / Expected Benefits
The "Heat Warning Watch Canaria" is expected to be an effective heat stroke countermeasure item not only for workplaces in hot environments such as construction and manufacturing, but also for various situations including sports and leisure activities.
