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?
