Giraffenap is a new style of sleeping pod (仓) that encourages workers to get power naps during the day as a way of improving concentration and work efficiency.

Japan usually emphasizes extreme dedication to one’s work. In order to get used to this kind of heavy schedule and stress, some workers turn to short power naps. These are known to improve energy levels and concentration, as long as the person doesn’t go into deep sleep. In order to make it easier for people to get power naps pretty much anywhere, one company has begun installing vertical (垂直的) sleeping pods called Giraffenap in cafes all over the country.

One of the main reasons that Giraffenap pods have a vertical orientation is space—it’s much easier to have them installed in small cafes and restaurants because they take up little room—but it’s not the only reason. The standing position makes it easier for the person using the pod to wake up from their power nap.

Each Giraffenap pod features an alarm system that can be set by the user and support points for various parts of the body, which can make sure that the user remains in an upright position when napping. The pods also feature a height adjustment system so that anyone can achieve the perfect posture while using them.

Giraffenap sleeping pods currently come in two styles: a plain white model and one that uses a more traditional bamboo design. They offer great sound insulation (隔音), various sounds designed to support sleep and a built-in ventilation system.

Giraffenap is currently being put into effect in some coffee shops in Japan, and if the response is positive enough, we might also start seeing them in other places.

Women Whose Inventions Changed Life

Rachel Zimmerman — Blissymbol Printer （1984）

At the age of 12, Zimmerman invented the Blissymbol Printer, which helps people with physical disabilities communicate via symbols that get translated into written language. What began as a project for a school science fair ended up competing at the World Exhibition of Achievement of Young Inventors. Zimmerman now works at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she develops innovations combining space technology and assistive intelligence.

Olga De Gonzalez-Sanabria ——Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries （1987）

Director of the Systems Management Office and the highest-ranking Hispanic at NASA Glenn Research Center, Gonzalez-Sanabria played a critical role in the development of the "Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries" which helped enable the International Space Station power system. She has since won the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal.

Ann Tsukamoto — Stem Cell Isolation （1991）

Tsukamoto and her colleagues were the first scientists to identify and isolate （分离） blood-forming stem cells. Patented in 1991 --- the first of 12 patents related to her research --- Tsukamoto has furthered her research and thanks to her, bone marrow transplants （骨髓移植）have saved the lives of thousands of people battling blood cancer

Donna Strickland — Chirped Pulse Amplification （2018）

The third woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics, Strickland, along with Dr Gerard Mourou of France, has significantly advanced the science of lasers （激光）.They developed a technology for creating short, powerful laser pulses. The technique, called Chirped Pulse Amplification, has been used in corrective eye surgeries.

The CEO and founder of house-builder Project Etopia, Joseph Daniel, had unstable start in life. “My father was always drunk and my mother had mental disorder when I was 15. I’ve lived on the street and I need to do this,” says the 27-year-old young man. He left school without any qualifications.

Far from seeing it as a shortcoming, the hardship he himself experienced is what drives him to take on the challenge of solving the UK’s housing crisis and dealing with climate change at the same time by building high-tech eco-homes that ordinary people cannot only afford, but will also really want to live in.

The homes that Daniel wants to build are not traditional housings. They are made up of several parts and each part is made in Daniel’s own factory in Cheshire. Traditional houses take months to complete, while his homes can be put together easily on site due to being partially pre-built in the factory. The firm’s plan in Corby, Northamptonshire, is a village that will consist of 47 homes, the first four of which were each built in nine days.

Houses are not only faster to build, but will also have smart technology built in and be much more energy efficient than the average home. With solar panels, Daniel says he can build houses that will generate more power than they use, potentially making up for some of the six tons of carbon emitted annually by the “typical” house as a result of the heat and power required.

“I want to slow climate change through housing,” he says. “It’s our responsibility as humans. That’s what our project is about. If you can get the economics and the environment right, you can make things better.”