■ In Fact, the Closer Devices Get to Humans, the Harder Heat Problems Become
Until now, electronic devices have been somewhat removed from people.
● Servers
● Data centers
● Factory equipment
● Automobiles, and so on.
In wearable devices, however, the human body itself becomes a thermal design condition.
In other words,
● Hot
● Heavy
● Hard
● Stuffy
● Painful
all lead directly to a worse user experience.
■ Humans Are Surprisingly Vulnerable to Heat
The human body is extremely delicate. Even for a middle-aged guy like me.
For example, just
● A discomfort of a few degrees
● Prolonged contact
● Localized heat generation
● Stuffiness
● Pressure
can cause discomfort.
In addition, there is the problem of low-temperature burns.
■ Low-Temperature Burns Are Dangerous Even Though They Are Not Hot
A low-temperature burn is a phenomenon in which, even at temperatures that are not that hot,
prolonged contact damages deep layers of the skin.
For example, it can occur even with
● Smartphones
● Laptop PCs
● Heat-generating devices
In other words, for wearable devices, what matters is not only whether it is hot,
but also how long and where it makes contact.
I myself once had a painful experience with an electric foot warmer in winter, so I see this as a big issue.
■ In the AI Era, Computing Begins Close to the Body
Future AI will run not only in the cloud,
but also close to the body.
For example,
● AI inside AR glasses
● Real-time translation
● Biometric recognition
● Gaze analysis
● Always-on voice recognition
In other words, in the future, high-density computing near the face may begin.
This is thermally extremely demanding.
■ Miniaturization and Higher Performance Concentrate Heat
Wearable devices are required to be
● Small
● Light
● Thin
● Long-running
At the same time, however, they also need
● AI computation
● Communication
● Sensors
● Batteries
In other words, a situation arises in which a device is hot despite being small.
Moreover, in wearable devices, it is difficult to enlarge cooling fans.
■ Quiet, Invisible Cooling Becomes Necessary
In wearable devices, being
● Noisy
● Heavy
● Thick
● Bulky
is fatal.
In other words, from now on, heat must be controlled
“quietly,” “lightly,” “thinly,” and “without discomfort.”
This is extremely difficult.
■ Wearable AI Is an Era of Heat × Comfort
What matters here is that, for wearable devices, just cooling is not enough.
In reality, they also need
● Light weight
● Flexibility
● Comfort
● Safety
● Long-term wearability
● Breathability
● Good design
In other words, in the future, it will become a complex problem of “heat × comfort × safety × light weight.”
■ An Era Is Coming in Which AI Detects Abnormalities in the Human Body
Furthermore, wearable AI may become able to acquire enormous amounts of biometric data, such as
● Skin temperature
● Perspiration
● Blood flow
● Pulse
● Fatigue
● Inflammation
As a result, in the future, AI may even become able to analyze that this thermal design is placing a burden on the body.
In other words, in the future, instead of something being vaguely uncomfortable, it may become visible which structure is placing what kind of load on the body.
■ The Researcher's Perspective
Toward thermal design that coexists with the human body
Current research includes
● Flexible heat dissipation materials
● Ultra-thin heat dissipation
● Flexible materials
● Radiative cooling
● Biocompatible materials
● Fine thermal control
● AI temperature control
In other words, from now on, not just cooling but thermal design that coexists with the human body will become important.
■ The Shop-Floor Perspective
Comfort does not come as theory predicts
On the shop floor, very complex problems arise, such as
● Differences in face shape
● Contact on curved surfaces
● Perspiration
● Movement
● Long-term use
● Individual skin differences
● Pressure
In other words, “it cools in theory” and “it is actually comfortable” are completely different.
■ In Wearable Devices, Contact Is Extremely Important
Wearable devices use components such as
● Heat dissipation materials
● Cushioning materials
● Adhesive materials
● Insulating materials
● Flexible components
However, both thermal performance and comfort change depending on how naturally they contact the body.
In other words, in the future, the final contact conditions for heat will be extremely important.
■ What Matters from OTIS's Perspective
From OTIS’s perspective, what matters in the era of wearable AI includes
● Thin-film processing
● Microfabrication
● Processing of flexible materials
● High-precision lamination
● Conformity to curved surfaces
● Contact between dissimilar materials
● Weight reduction
● Volume production stability
In particular, being thin, light, and soft while still making the functions work is important.
■ What OTIS Can Do
At OTIS, through
● Microfabrication
● High-precision die-cutting
● Thin-film processing
● High-precision lamination
● Processing of components that conform to curved surfaces
● Processing of heat dissipation materials
● Processing of insulating materials
● Processing of flexible materials
we may be able to contribute to making functional components for wearable devices work in volume production.
■ Outside OTIS's Expertise
On the other hand, OTIS is not a company that specializes in
● Medical device design
● AI algorithm development
● Biometric analysis
● AR device development
● Battery development
However, in the area of making devices used close to the body work in volume production processes, we may be able to play an important role.
■ Summary
The closer AI gets to humans, the harder heat becomes
Future AI will coexist with people
● Smaller
● Lighter
● Closer to the body
● For longer hours
Behind the scenes, however, heat will become a major constraint.
In other words, in the future, what matters may be not only how smart the AI is,
but how naturally it can coexist with people.
And behind the scenes, technologies that achieve the final contact conditions for heat will become increasingly important.
Column Supervisor: Koji Kakumoto (President, OTIS Co., Ltd.)
After studying abroad and working in planning and development at a trading company, he joined OTIS Co., Ltd. in 2011. While primarily working in the Corporate Planning Department, he has also served concurrently in manufacturing and technical divisions, and since 2018 has served as President, working to drive business growth and strengthen the organization.
This article is a general technical explanation intended for educational purposes and does not refer to any specific company, product, or technology.
