[georgemcfly]

No it couldnt. Air Conditioning is not just about temperature but also humidity, which this doesn't address. I think room fans would still be necessary to keep the air moving as well. Plus, could tricking your body into thinking its cooler than it actually is be dangerous? Make sure people don't wear it while doing vigorous physical activity in the summer heat.

[benjamincburns]

I believe the idea is not that it's a nervous system trick, but by heating or cooling a part of the body with high blood flow which occurs near the surface of the skin, you're actually going to impart a meaningful change on overall body temperature. Hospitals already do this for patients with hypo/hyperthermia. This could be monitored/regulated with a second band worn on the upper arm near the armpit which measures body temperature directly.

The question is more one of how much of an actual change can they impart (and under what circumstances?) given the size limitations of something like a wrist strap. My hunch is that this would need to be a fairly large system (including its power source) to have a meaningful impact outside of sedentary activity in an environment which is mildly under/over temperature. So good news for people who get chilly working long hours in their cold offices (which is a completely viable market), but not for runners looking to shed gear. Maybe there's something there for cyclists though, but only if they're willing to put up with a wheel generator.

Also, humidity impacts comfort largely because of its impact evaporation rates. Reducing body temperature reduces the rate of perspiration, in turn reducing the impact of humidity. You're right that it won't eliminate the effects of very high humidity, but it would reduce them.

[ogig]

>I believe the idea is not that it's a nervous system trick, but by heating or cooling a part of the body with high blood flow which occurs near the surface of the skin, you're actually going to impart a meaningful change on overall body temperature.

From the article i understand that it is a nervous system trick: "The research suggested that anything with a temperature change greater than 0.1 degree Celsius per second would produce the effect".

[benjamincburns]

Ah... I just reread, and you're correct. Apparently I shouldn't post to HN while groggy...

[DanBC]

From my very limited experience SF is not that humid, yet has a lot of AC.

Things like painting roofs silver or insulating buildings are great starts to reducing AC use. (Dark roofs can reach 66C to 88C in hot weather, better roofing helps a lot. (http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/ReduceEnergy.htm#advhome))

But this? I'd freakin' love to try something like this. I'm almost always too hot, even in England.

[ollysb]

I can imagine this being great for the winter in england, you're always moving between hot/cold environments.