Protecting Students from Heat Stroke with EnOcean-Powered Intelligence
January 14, 2026
In recent years, extreme summer heat has become a daily reality for schools in Japan. Outdoor classes, physical education, and club activities increasingly expose students to dangerous conditions.
Teachers carry the responsibility of deciding whether activities can safely continue. These decisions were traditionally based on manual measurements and experience.
Staff had to walk to schoolyards and gyms several times a day. Results were recorded by hand and shared verbally. This process was time-consuming, inconsistent, and stressful. Most importantly, it created uncertainty when student safety was at stake.
Turning Data into Confidence and Safety
Nifco recognized that heat stroke prevention required objective, continuous, and reliable data. The company developed a heat stroke prevention system using EnOcean energy-harvesting technology. Energy harvesting allows sensors to use ambient energy and to function without batteries or wires. Ultra low-power EnOcean sensors were installed in schoolyards and gymnasiums. They continuously measure temperature and humidity with minimal maintenance.
The system automatically calculates WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) values. All data is transmitted wirelessly to a cloud platform. Teachers and administrators can check conditions anytime from a PC or smartphone. Clear danger levels make risks easy to understand at a glance. When thresholds are exceeded, alerts are sent immediately. This removes guesswork from critical decisions.
Reducing Workload While Improving Response Speed
The impact on daily operations was immediate. Teachers no longer needed to perform manual measurements. Early morning checks and repeated site visits were eliminated.
Decisions about activities became faster and more transparent. Students also benefited from clearer explanations. When activities were canceled, teachers could show real data on screen. This improved understanding and acceptance among students. At the same time, schools gained long-term data for planning improvements. Heat risk trends could be analyzed across locations and seasons.
From Local Deployment to a Scalable Model
The system has been deployed across public schools in Yokosuka City. It now supports dozens of schools with a unified monitoring approach. Maintenance-free EnOcean sensors ensure long-term operation at low cost. The solution scales easily without complex wiring or battery replacement.
“EnOcean technology enabled us to create a reliable, maintenance-free system that protects children and supports educators,” says Takaaki Nakamura, Business Unit Manager Connected Business Unit at Life Solutions Company, Nifco Inc.
Today, this project demonstrates how energy-harvesting IoT can transform heat stroke prevention. It turns environmental data into action. Most importantly, it creates safer learning environments for the next generation.
