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One idea I had a while ago was that you could use these for saving energy by targeting exposed skin surfaces only. This would be particularly useful for offices
by gwern 8y ago
One idea I had a while ago was that you could use these for saving energy by targeting exposed skin surfaces only. This would be particularly useful for offices: the office can be set to the lower temperature preferred by men, and then women can be targeted by the infrared heaters to keep them comfortable as well, so no one has to be uncomfortable while still saving energy. (It has to default to colder/male preferences because you save more energy by keeping the office as a whole at the lower temperature, and anyway, there's no such thing as an 'anti-heat beam' so you can't cool down a subset.)
- benj111 8y agoThat's explored here: https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2015/03/local-heating.html https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2015/03/local-heating.html
- gwern 8y agoIndeed, women in offices now tend to either suffer or sweater. They are solutions, but not good ones. Infrared trackers would allow one to have one's cake of attractive stylish (non-sweater) clothing while not suffering in the eating. So to speak.
- avisser 8y agoIf they were pervasive, they could allow institutional users to lower the temperature in their buildings a few degrees. One degree on the thermostat for a large building in New England could equate to a lot of savings in fuel.
- luma 8y agoYou sound like a fella that doesn't spend much time around post-menopausal women :)
- pbhjpbhj 8y agoOr those who feel cold could put a jumper on?