Emerson provides UAE workers with neck-cooling wearables
Emerson provides UAE workers with neck-cooling wearables
Emerson Electric will provide 1,100 workers in the UAE with neck-cooling wearables, intended to cool down body temperature during the hottest hours of the day.
It is part of a pilot program with Majid Al Futtaim Properties on the Al Zahia project and World Security at Jebel Ali. Emerson MEA branch is responsible for the deployment, Freezermate will manufacture the wearable.
See Also: Booming MEA wearable sales growth propelled by basic devices
The neck cooler reduces body temperature to moderate levels, which is a necessity in the UAE where temperatures regularly exceed 35C. The UAE has a mandatory summer break between 12:30pm and 3:00pm, but afterwards temperatures still surpass workable levels, leading to exhaustion and illness.
Emerson claims that the neck-cooler works in temperatures below 45C and is able to instantly reduce the body temperature of the wearer. The wearable also absorbs sweat from the neck. It lasts around an hour, after which the worker needs to swap the wearable with another or face the heat.
Heat is a killer in the Gulf region
Heat conditions in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries are becoming very concerning, with some climate experts predicting the areas to be unlivable in the next twenty years. July 2016 was the hottest month on record, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40C, which some consider unworkable conditions.
Neck-coolers are a smart, if somewhat temporary solution to the problem. Deployment could allow more workers, especially from non-Middle Eastern backgrounds, to work in the UAE and other countries without worrying about the conditions.
Emerson has not said if it will expand the program to more developers, we assume the company is actively searching for more partners. If it works, we may see a wide range of workplace wearables enter into the marketplace to make the 9-5 an easier experience.
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