On July 15, under the sweltering heat, a new wearable product turned heads at China Dinosaur Land in Changzhou, East China’s Jiangsu province. As others fanned themselves and wiped sweat, one visitor slipped on an unassuming vest after scanning a QR code. Minutes later, his frown vanished. “It’s like carrying an air conditioner!” he exclaimed.

Developed by OSCOOL Energy Storage, a company incubated by the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research, the cooling vest, has been formally deployed across the park. For just RMB9.9 per hour, visitors can enjoy up to three hours of portable chill—dropping perceived temperatures from 35°C to a comfortable 25°C, even in blazing summer heat.

The secret lies in phase-change materials—special compounds that absorb heat while changing their stage, such as, from solid to liquid, acting like a thermal battery without warming up.

Weighing about 1.3 kilograms for adults, the vest has already been used at Tianjin Fantawild Adventure. Plans are underway to bring it to Suzhou’s Pingjiang Road, with a smaller version developed for children.

July 31, 2026