Inside the Mitsubishi Electric Corp. factory in Shizuoka, where air conditioners are produced. (This photo was taken on June 19.)
06:00 JST, July 14, 2024
Air conditioners equipped with AI (artificial intelligence) systems that enable them to save more energy are becoming increasingly popular among consumers.
As it becomes increasingly difficult to differentiate air conditioners based on their basic heating and cooling functions alone, manufacturers are proactively trying to appeal to customers on points such as how little energy their products consume.
Mitsubishi Electric Corp., supplier of the Kirigamine series of room air conditioners, is increasing production of AI-equipped models with high energy-saving performance.
The director of the company’s main factory in Shizuoka stressed that “AI-based functions are directly related to the user’s comfort and energy efficiency, so this is an area where we can still differentiate our products from others.”
Mitsubishi Electric has built an AI system into some of its models that studies factors such as the thermal insulation properties and air tightness of a building based on differences in indoor and outdoor temperatures and predicts changes in room temperature. The company then adjusts its operations accordingly.
By preventing air conditioners from cooling the air too much in summer, the new models can reduce start-up power consumption by about 8% compared to conventional models.
Mitsubishi Electric is also expanding the range of models with a sensor that can measure the heart rate of a person in a room without touching them. This sensor feeds this data to an AI function that estimates the user’s mood and uses it to regulate the air temperature and air flow.
Panasonic Corp. recently introduced a feature in its air conditioners that allows AI to automatically select the operating mode and air temperature in the room based on the season and temperature with a single press of a button on the remote control.
The latest models are also equipped with a function that allows AI to retrieve weather information from the Internet, predict changes in indoor temperature and adjust operation.
Meanwhile, Sharp Corp. has incorporated a feature in its latest model that links AI to a home solar energy system, allowing the AI to predict the amount of excess energy and adjust the air conditioner’s operation accordingly.
According to Sharp, the efficient use of excess energy in a model case can reduce consumption by as much as 25% compared to conventional models.
Shipments up 16% in May
According to the Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association, domestic air conditioner shipments totaled 986,000 in May, up 16.1% from the same month last year.
May, with a succession of warm days, marked the second consecutive month of high growth in air conditioner deliveries, following an 18.8% increase in April.
Harumi Maruyama, a consumer affairs consultant, noted: “Home air conditioners are used for many hours. As the popularity of AI-equipped air conditioners with strong energy-saving functions is expected to continue, manufacturers will focus more on these products in the future.”
