Secual Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Masakazu Kikuchi; hereinafter "Secual") has launched the provision of a "heatstroke alert function" for its next-generation retrofit streetlight "Secual Smart Pod" (hereinafter "Smart Pod"). This function calculates the heat index (WBGT approximation) based on environmental data collected by meteorological sensors and sends alert notifications when preset thresholds are exceeded.

Amid the increasing normalization of extreme heat, this service supports safety measures for facilities and local communities.

Development Background

In recent years, the number of extremely hot days has increased across Japan, and the number of emergency transports due to heatstroke remains high.

According to statistics published by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, a large number of heatstroke-related emergency transports occur annually, making safety measures during outdoor activities and facility use a pressing social issue. In particular, outdoor spaces such as parks, tourist attractions, leisure facilities, and sports venues see many visitors spending extended periods, necessitating appropriate responses to heatstroke risks. Children, being shorter, are more susceptible to ground-level radiant heat and thus more vulnerable to heat stress than adults.

Given this context, facility operators and local governments are increasingly required to monitor heat environments that consider not only temperature but also humidity and solar radiation, enabling timely warnings and safety interventions.

Overview of the Heatstroke Alert Function

The meteorological sensors installed on the Smart Pod continuously collect environmental data such as temperature, humidity, illuminance, and UV intensity. The newly added heatstroke alert function calculates the heat index (WBGT approximation) from this data, allowing real-time monitoring via a management dashboard. When the heat index exceeds a pre-set threshold, an email alert is automatically sent to designated administrators.

Supporting Outdoor Safety Management

This function can be utilized in various facilities and regions where heatstroke risk management is critical.

※ About Secual Smart Pod: https://secual-inc.com/smart-pod/

Future Outlook

Heatstroke prevention is becoming increasingly important not only in outdoor facilities but also across municipalities, parks, schools, sports venues, and construction sites. As extreme heat becomes more common, monitoring environmental conditions to protect users and workers is now a key responsibility in facility and site management.

Going forward, Secual will continue to leverage insights gained from pilot projects and real-world deployments to visualize urban environmental data—including heatstroke risks—and provide solutions that support safe, secure environments where facility users, residents, and employees can thrive.

※ What is the Heat Index (WBGT)? The heat index (WBGT: Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) is an indicator developed to prevent heatstroke. Unlike standard air temperature, WBGT comprehensively evaluates three factors—humidity, radiant heat (from sunlight and reflection), and air temperature—to indicate the level of heat stress experienced by the human body and the associated risk of heatstroke. It is used by Japan's Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Meteorological Agency for heatstroke prevention guidance and is widely applied in schools, sports, outdoor work, and facility operations.

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FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: New Product
  • Products / services: Secual Smart Pod