Porticool Spin-Off Developing Personal Cooling Technologies
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — Porticos, Inc. today announced the formation of Porticool, Inc., a spin-off company that will focus on microclimate cooling technology.
Porticos began developing personal cooling technologies more than three years ago, with the intent to aid public-safety and emergency-response professionals whose duties put them at high risk of heat-stress. At-risk individuals include firefighters, HazMat specialists, and bomb-disposal units. According to Kevin Carpenter, Chief Engineer at Porticos, “Anybody wearing protective gear is susceptible — the better the protection, the more severe the heat-stress. A garment that keeps chlorine or viruses out will definitely keep heat in.”
Some of the early research was funded by the Department of Homeland Security. That research indicated that it would be feasible to develop a personal cooling system suitable for highly mobile and fully encumbered emergency responders. Asked about timing of the spin-off, Tom Jazwa, President of the newly-formed Porticool explained “We reached a milestone. We have moved out of the research-phase and into product implementation. The prototypes work well, and they demonstrate that we can achieve the desired size, weight, and performance. Furthermore, it has become apparent that the Porticool PCS can be of great benefit in other applications.”
Porticos will continue to provide engineering expertise as the Porticool organization consults with interested parties to determine the form-factor of the final products. Porticool, Inc. intends to make the flagship Personal Cooling System available to emergency-responders and commercial/industrial specialists in early 2008. Military versions as well as other innovative cooling technologies are in the pipeline.
About Porticos — Porticos, Inc. is a mechanical engineering and product development company located in Research Triangle Park, NC. Established in 2003 as a firm focused on mechanical design, Porticos continues to produce innovative and effective solutions for its clients and the markets they serve. Porticos provides mechanical design, analysis, research and development services to clients including Dell, Motorola, Raytheon, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. For more information on how Porticos “turns good ideas into great products,” please visit www.porticos.net.
