Always looking for opportunities to test his theory on thermal exchange with the human body, Michael Webb looks at Extreme Makeover as a perfect focus group.
A concept that was first realized while working with Larry McReynolds, a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on FOX Sports. Michael Webb (Mike), designer and product developer, believed that by merging certain materials along with a cooling source, a broader cooling sensation could be felt across the skin’s surface and would alter the overall body temperature, thus preventing overheating and possible dehydration. Originally designed to be worn under pit crew fire suits and not for everyday use. Everybody involved knew it wasn’t practical for doing yard work or running a marathon.
Soon after word began to spread about the project, various groups and organizations offered their assistance in testing. Named Hydro Cool, it even got the attention of the military stationed in Iraq. “We have been trying to find a way to keep tank crews cool while they sit inside their tanks along the desert border or at observation posts along the main supply routes of Iraq,” stated Lt Col Jeffrey Fultz, Assistant Chief of Staff for Assessments and New Technologies, 1st Marine Division.
Seeing that this product had more potential then just pit crews, Webb and his team decided to develop a new and more practical product that could be user friendly. “We needed focus groups in hot work environments to see what needed to be done”, said Webb, “So to have the opportunity to work with Extreme Makeover Home Edition was a huge win for the project”, Webb added. Everyone saw it as a perfect test model, an extremely hot work environment with all levels of construction and then there are the volunteers that have other professions and hobbies that might see some benefits from such a product. They could get several years worth of data in the seven day build the ABC network commits to this show.
The gathered info received from this opportunity along with all the other data compiled over the last few years has help identified a blend and composition of material that will work for just about any hot environment. Along with the name that best explains the concept and theory behind this product, Thermal Exchange Rapid Release – TXRR or TXR2. Further military testing is planned for 2010 using finished prototypes and dialog has begun to hopefully find an active partner in further development of this project.
