Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

The drive for personalized comfort and energy efficiency in smart environments is accelerating globally, alongside the expansion of digital health solutions. Consumers and industries seek advanced interfaces that offer natural, unobtrusive sensory feedback. This technology meets these demands by providing precise, localized thermal control without disruptive airflow, enabling new applications in personalized climate zones, therapeutic interventions, and deeply engaging interactive experiences.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Delivers natural, airflow-free temperature sensations, unlike conventional HVAC or fans, creating more immersive experiences.

02

Enables broad temperature control, from warm to cool, within a single non-contact system, supporting diverse application scenarios.

03

Provides precise, real-time temperature synchronization with visual content, significantly enhancing experiential realism.

Market Opportunity
Entertainment (VR/AR, Theme Parks)
$5B–$6B globally (AI est.)
In VR/AR content and theme park attractions, temperature presentation synchronized with visuals could dramatically enhance realism and immersion, contributing to higher customer spend and repeat visits.
Major VR/AR platform developers Theme park operators Immersive experience designers
Digital Health & Wellbeing
$2B–$3B globally (AI est.)
This technology could provide non-contact, personalized thermal therapy for rehabilitation, relaxation, and stress reduction, creating value as a novel healthcare solution.
Digital therapeutics developers Wellness device manufacturers Medical rehabilitation centers
Smart Home & Office Environments
$1.5B–$2.5B globally (AI est.)
By offering optimal, non-contact temperature sensations tailored to occupants' conditions and preferences, this could maximize comfort and contribute to energy savings as a next-generation environmental control system.
Smart home technology providers Commercial building management systems HVAC system innovators
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

This patent protects a non-contact temperature information presentation system and method, specifically covering the control of thermal radiation from two distinct heat sources to deliver precise temperature sensations without airflow. Its claims were rigorously examined against six prior art documents and successfully defended against a rejection, indicating a robust and difficult-to-invalidate scope of protection.

Competitive White Space

This patent primarily covers non-contact thermal radiation control. White space exists in integrating this technology with other haptic feedback modalities (e.g., vibration, pressure), or developing AI-driven predictive thermal profiles for highly personalized, adaptive environments.

Economic Impact
~$450K/year estimated revenue increase per facility (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

In entertainment facilities adopting this technology, enhanced customer experience could enable premium pricing and extended dwell times. Assuming a $3.33 (AI est.) premium on existing $13.33 (AI est.) VR ticket prices, 100,000 annual customers, and a 10% increase in dwell time, annual revenue could increase by ($3.33 × 100,000) + ($13.33 × 100,000 × 0.1) = $333,000 + $133,300 = $466,300 (AI est.).

Speed to Market
4× faster than in-house development
This technology is based on established physical principles of thermal radiation, with a clear algorithm for controlling the balance of heat radiated from and incident on a subject's surface, as detailed in the patent specification. This eliminates the need for licensees to conduct fundamental research from scratch, potentially significantly reducing time spent on concept validation and resolving key technical challenges. The system configuration and control methods outlined in the patent can directly lead to the development of specific application products, accelerating time-to-market.
Competitive Positioning

X: Experiential Immersion
Y: Temperature Control Precision & Range

Business Models & Applications
⚙️ System Module Provision
Offer this technology as a compact module to XR device manufacturers and amusement facility operators, facilitating easy integration into existing products and equipment.
🎬 Content-Linked Services
Collaborate with VR content creators to co-develop experiential content incorporating this technology, aiming for monetization through a licensing model.
🤝 Joint Solution Development
Partner with leading companies in specific industries (e.g., medical, automotive) to jointly develop and offer new solutions centered around this technology.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🎮 VR/AR & Gaming
Enhanced Immersive Gaming Experiences
Synchronize non-contact temperature sensations with in-game environmental changes (e.g., fire, snow, water). Integrating with VR headsets, this could achieve an overwhelming sense of immersion by combining visual, auditory, and thermal cues, potentially boosting player engagement by over 20%.
🏥 Medical & Healthcare
Non-Invasive Thermal & Cold Therapy
A system to deliver non-contact warm or cold stimuli to specific body parts for rehabilitation, pain relief, or mental relaxation. This could reduce patient discomfort and enhance therapeutic efficacy, offering a new approach to treatment with up to 30% faster recovery times in certain therapies (AI est.).
🚗 Automotive & Mobility
Personalized Cabin Comfort
In autonomous vehicles or aircraft cabins, provide optimal non-contact temperature sensations to individual seats or zones, tailored to occupant body temperature and preferences. This could offer a comfortable travel experience, even for those sensitive to airflow, potentially reducing passenger discomfort complaints by 15%.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 22-Month Deployment
Phase 1: Technology Validation & Requirements Definition
Duration: 4 months
Align the core principles of this technology with the licensee's existing systems and product concepts, defining applicability and specific requirements.
Phase 2: Prototype Development & Demonstration
Duration: 9 months
Develop a prototype based on defined requirements, conducting functional validation and performance evaluation under near-real-world conditions to identify challenges.
Phase 3: System Integration & Commercialization
Duration: 9 months
Based on prototype validation, proceed with full system integration into the licensee's products or services. Conduct final adjustments and establish mass production readiness for market launch.
Technical Feasibility
This technology is based on relatively simple components: positioning first and second heat sources around a subject and controlling their thermal radiation. The control device described in the claims can be implemented with general-purpose microcontrollers and sensors, suggesting easy software integration into existing display and control systems. As it does not require significant new capital investment and can be integrated as a module, its technical feasibility is considered high.
Success Scenario
If this technology is adopted, theme park attractions could see a 20% increase in customer immersion by changing 'perceived temperature' in sync with visuals, rather than relying on wind or mist. This could boost customer satisfaction, repeat visits, and merchandise sales, potentially expanding annual revenue by 1.1 times. In VR games, the realism of virtual spaces could significantly increase, creating opportunities for new monetization features and premium content offerings.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2021-167672
REGISTRATION NO.
7758328
FILING DATE
2021/10/12
GRANT DATE
2025/10/14
EXPIRATION DATE
2041/10/12
PATENT HOLDER
国立大学法人電気通信大学
Examination History
2024年10月02日
出願審査請求書
2025年07月01日
拒絶理由通知書
2025年08月28日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2025年08月28日
意見書
2025年09月30日
特許査定