We've seen some very interesting yet wonderful things in our 22 years of experience as an electrical wholesaler.
One such particular thing sticks in our memory: a fire alarm that wakes people up simply by emitting the scent of wasabi, that extremely spicy green stuff you find in Japanese restaurants.
Strange, wonderful, and 100% true: this fire alarm won the Ig Nobel prize for chemistry last year.
The active ingredient in that horseradish-based sauce, allyl isothiocyanate, will irritate your nose even when you're asleep.
The device is intended for hearing impaired users who might not be woken up by a more traditional fire alarm siren.
Really, we're wondering why nobody had thought of this before. A wasabi alarm will set you back 50,000 yen (about £400), but we can recommend a more affordable fire alarm for our deaf and hearing impaired customers both online and in our showroom.
The Aico Ei170RF comes with a high-intensity xenon strobe light, while the Ei171RF model also comes with a vibrating pad that can be placed underneath the pillow.
These alarms can be used as part of a wirelessly interconnected fire alarm system in conjunction with the RadioLINK protocol.
They are CE marked and fully compliant with the BS 5839 code of practice.
In conclusion, why would you go so far as spending big money on a wasabi alarm when you can get some less expensive and more practical fire alarms for the hearing impaired?
