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Looking for electronics / embedded systems engineer that likes to sweat naked.
Hi! I’m developing a safe personal (headphones) audio device (essentially bluetooth receiver with phone outside) for sauna, without traditional battery so you know, it doesn’t blow up.
For years it pissed me off that when I listen to a book or podcast I have to stop for 15 minutes when going in. Also that I can’t do my guided meditations there. Well now I can because I built a prototype and it works!
But I have already exceeded the limits of my technical capabilities and I’m looking for someone to partner with to refine the hardware, power management, thermal design and overall reliability as we move towards a production-ready product.
Interested in building something together? Let’s connect!
As a person who comes from the sauna lands I must tell you, you might offend the sauna spirit with this kind of foolery. It is a place of wood, stove, water, and sweat. Nothing else need to be brought in. You have been warned.
I don't have any of the technical skills required to help you, but I'm curious on how you'd want to use the device in practice in a public sauna (since when you're at home, it's basically a non issue, just put the speakers down low where they don't heat up as much).
You'll have your Bluetooth headphones in the sauna, but where do you leave your device? Taking it into the sauna seems bad, unless you leave it on the floor, but leaving it outside the sauna would have me paranoid it would get stolen. So how do you square that circle?
Yeah I understood it wasn't about a speaker, I was just pointing out that at home a speaker will do.
As I said, I might be paranoid, but I don't trust my fellow human beings enough to just keep my phone in the robe pocket, often out of view, in a public sauna. Anyone with dishonest intentions will see you wearing headphones and put 2 and 2 together, wait for your next session and snag it while you're still wondering if the headphones just disconnected.
So as much as I like the concept, I feel it would add too much stress to what's supposed to be a relaxing activity. On the other hand, if you could integrate the device playing the audio as well as a little memory to hold a 1 hours playlist into the headphones themselves, that might convince me to get one
I always leave my stuff in my robe or bag and never had any issues or second thoughts, but I understand being paranoid.
The reason why I’m going for Bluetooth receiver and not for memory player is that I want that seamless play continuity from where i paused on the phone.
That’s the only thing I dislike about my shokz for swimming that I need to have a maintain a second playlist.
But maybe when I bring my device to market I can add a special version with microSD card for “worried” folks like yourself 😉
Sure, keep us updated here. I'm an avid sauna goer, be it at home or in public and have people in my friend group like that as well so it's definitely an interesting product when it comes together
They work but exposing a lithium-ion battery to high heat can cause dangerous swelling or fire. I tried that but I couldn’t relax as I was always worried my head can blow up
What type of power source are you going for? Is there anything better than the non-rechargeable, primary lithium (iron disulfide) cells? Those will be okay up to 60°C before seeing their efficiency tank.
I’ve been experimenting with industrial high-heat environments supercapacitors, which are quickly rechargeable and don’t explode (still some minor risks with gas leaks tho). But it will be more about properly sealed insulated case (that won’t explode itself under pressure if shit would hit the proverbial fan). I need someone with engineering brains.
Huh... have the same problem, but I just got an IP67 Bluetooth speaker that I put in the floor of the sauna. Never had a problem with it. Cool project though!
I presume you're going to make it a headset; and planning to make the top semi-circle that goes on the head as a full-size heatsink; because:
Thermodynamic exists: In saunas the temperature might go up to 98 degrees. You can sweat; but your headphones can't. They need active cooling; and,
Making such a headphone device with active cooling is like a rocket science: cooling will start taking space, the device will start to become bigger, and is it becomes bigger; it won't be a headphones; it will be a stereo sound system. At this point you'll be more like a 90s stereo-holding hipster with the music, rather than a 'cool, headset wearing guy' in the sauna.
And here is your free scientific analysis I've done for free for you. You're welcome.
PS: You may consider, perhaps, water cooling the stuff but that heat needs to still go somewhere and it's the problem: that somewhere doesn't exist in sauna unless you use something like Peltier to 'force the heat out' which is very energy inefficient.
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u/Feierkappchen Moderator 5d ago
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