Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 463,161 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,245 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 320,971 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,245 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 320,971 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,215 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 463,161 cutting edge ideas.

Desktop Air Conditioners

The Balance MCC is Designed to Quickly and Safely Change the Temperature

— November 3, 2011 — Art & Design
Starving students looking for a way to stay warm during the winter are going to flip when they see Gregory Mitchell's Balance MCC. The Balance MCC (Micro-Climate Controller) is a personal heater/AC designed to quickly and safely cool down your immediate area.

Many people own air conditioners but don't have the money required to run them for long periods of time. Space heaters provide warmth in a pinch, but can be dangerous and cause a sizable percentage of home fires. The Balance MCC uses the Peltier effect, creating heat by moving electricity through a junction made up of two different metals, to warm up or cool down a room. The device has also been designed to be kid-safe for children three years old and up. Mitchell's design is an entrant into the 2011 James Dyson Award and can be seen in all its glory here.
Trend Themes
1. Portable Climate Control - The trend of portable climate control devices like the Balance MCC provides opportunities for disruptive innovation in creating efficient and safe solutions for personalized temperature regulation.
2. Energy-efficient Cooling and Heating - The trend of energy-efficient cooling and heating solutions, exemplified by the Balance MCC's use of the Peltier effect, presents opportunities to develop innovative technologies that reduce energy consumption while ensuring comfort.
3. Child-safe Home Appliances - The trend of child-safe home appliances, as demonstrated by the kid-safe design of the Balance MCC, opens up avenues for disruptive innovation in creating household devices that prioritize safety for young children.
Industry Implications
1. Home Appliances - The home appliances industry can explore disruptive innovation by incorporating portable climate control technologies into products to offer consumers customizable and energy-efficient solutions for temperature regulation within their living spaces.
2. Energy Efficiency - The energy efficiency industry can seize disruptive innovation opportunities by developing advanced cooling and heating technologies based on principles like the Peltier effect, offering sustainable solutions that minimize energy consumption.
3. Childcare Products - The childcare products industry can leverage disruptive innovation by creating child-safe versions of existing household devices, ensuring the well-being of young children and addressing the needs of safety-conscious parents.
1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness