# Desktop Air Conditioners The Balance MCC is Designed to Quickly and Safely Change the Temperature By Michael Hines | Published 2011-11-03 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/balance-mcc References: [yankodesign](http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/11/02/micro-climate-controller-combo/) & [jamesdysonaward.org](http://www.jamesdysonaward.org/Projects/Project.aspx?ID=2274&RegionId=1&Winindex=0) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jet-focus) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/midea-23inch-dualflex-heater) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/numen-series) and can be seen in all its glory here. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.0/10 - Popularity: 14% | Activity: 8% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **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. - **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. - **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. ### Sectors Adopting This - **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. - **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. - **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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Space-Conscious Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/comfyair.md) - [Consummately Compact Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/compact-air-conditioner.md) - [Wearable Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/qoola.md) - [Powerful Portable Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecoflow-wave.md) - [Portable Ductless Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ductless-air-conditioner.md) - [Crowdfunded Portable Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/penclab.md) - [Accordion-Style Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/foldable-ac.md) - [Freestanding Portable AC Units](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecoflow-wave-3.md) - [Personal Air Conditioners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/silent-cicada.md)