Hitachi Appliances Inc released air conditioners that can detect the locations of their remotes and intensively heat or cool the air around it.
With that function, the air conditioners, the S series of "Ion Mist Stainless Clean Shirokuma-kun," can save up to about 14% of electricity when they are being used as heaters, the company said.
When the function, "Area Eco Operation," is activated, the indoor unit of the air conditioners determines the location of the remote and sends air to its surroundings. The indoor unit is equipped with three infrared transmitter diodes, which are directed to the right, center and left, respectively. And it determines the horizontal location of the remote based on which transmitter diode sent signals that were received by the remote.
The distance between the indoor unit and the remote is determined as either "long," "middle" or "short." In other words, the air conditioners divide a room into nine areas and send air to the area (with a diameter of about 1.6m) where the remote exists.
When the Area Eco Operation is being used, temperature is measured by the sensor embedded in the remote, not by the sensor that is equipped in the indoor unit and used in normal operation. Therefore, the temperature of the target area can be controlled more precisely.
In addition, the new air conditioners have a function to detect human activities from infrared rays and save energy, the same function featured in Hitachi Appliances' existing air conditioners. With those functions, it is possible to save up to about 14% of electricity in heating operation and up to about 25% of electricity in cooling operation, the company said.
Hitachi Appliances will release eight types of the air conditioners whose power consumption ranges from 2.2kW to 7.1kW. Their expected street prices are from about ¥200,000 (approx US$2,187, 2.2kW model) to ¥330,000 (7.1kW model).
The 6.3kW and 7.1kW models will be launched in early December 2009 while other models (2.2kW to 5.0kW models) will be released in early November.
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