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Overview
Hello and thanks for the love (and the likes!). Our contributors and backers have been the best! We have ended our crowdfunding campaign so we can focus completely on the manufacturing and delivery of these units by the Spring of 2018 (early backers should see theirs around the end of 2017). Check our updates for the latest progress and to see what good things are happening.
Finally - A Smarter Way To Stay Cool
Window air conditioners have been around for over 60 years, providing much-needed relief in the hot summer months. But it has always come at a cost of a terrible user experience. Window air conditioners have always been big, ugly, loud, and difficult to install - until now.
Kapsul was designed to address all the pain points of current window air conditioners. From beautiful design to easy installation to remote connectivity and schedule creation, Kapsul makes living with a window air conditioner a pain-free experience. The intuitive thermostat knob interface makes interaction simple. Smart features mean you can control Kapsul via Wi-Fi and make energy saving schedules from your iPhone or Android device. A low profile design allows you to keep the view from your window, and makes storage a breeze.
Press
Features
Specifications
Cooling Type: Vapor-compression refrigeration using environmentally and ozone-friendly R410a refrigerant.
Cooling Capacity: 5,000 BTU/hour.
Room size: Up to 160 square feet.
Window Opening Size: 21" to 36" wide.
Window Type: Single or double-hung window frames.
Installation Orientation: Currently horizontal only. We are exploring vertical orientation in the future.
Power Requirement: 120V/60Hz
Low Profile Engineering
Kapsul's significant reduction in size in comparison to existing units means that the view outside is no longer obstructed. The patent-pending engineering required state-of-the-art CFD simulation and years of optimization to get into the final form factor Kapsul offers, trimming the total size by 40%. The highly engineered fans and ventilation system are quiet and efficient. Unlike other window air conditioners, Kapsul directs the cool air up towards the ceiling, creating a convective cycle that prevents cold and hot spots in the room. At 5,000 BTU/hr, Kapsul can cool a 10'x16' room, or two Kapsul units can cool a room up to 330 sq ft.
Designed From the Ground Up
When we started this project, we knew window air conditioning needed more than just a pretty grill or smartphone control. The whole user experience had to be rethought, and Kapsul had to be completely redesigned from the ground up. Our modern and elegant design not only looks good but also addresses the irritations that users have with existing window AC designs.
Easy to Install
Kapsul comes with a special window frame adapter to ensure a safe and easy installation. The adapter is installed first to create a secure, sealed socket into which Kapsul slides and locks in place. No more struggling with a bulky object in an open window. The innovative handle and rounded sides further aid with installation, removal, and storage.
Kapsul slides and locks into place.
Simple User Interface
We've built Kapsul around a single knob that controls the thing you want to change - temperature. Plug it in and set the thermostat. There's no complicated modes or settings. Users can set a schedule via the iOS and Android apps to ensure they never use more energy than is needed.
Setting the temperature couldn't be easier.
Night mode is easy on your eyes.
Control Kapsul From iPhone or Android
Kapsul can be set to a schedule by your iPhone or Android device, ensuring you can come home to a cool space without running your electricity all day. Our simple-to-use app allows you to control several Kapsul units at a time.
App Wireframe
Using the Kapsul app, you can easily set up a weekly schedule to ensure you save energy without sacrificing comfort.
Total Room Circulation
Kapsul is designed to blow cold air upwards to mix with the warm air below as it falls. This circulation removes the warm spots in the room while preventing cold air from being recirculated, which improves comfort and efficiency.
Cold air circulation with Kapsul
Cold air re-circulation with a standard AC
Easy Storage
If you are using Kapsul in a bedroom, you don't have to take it far when autumn arrives. Kapsul's slim profile allows it to spend the off-season under your bed or in a closet.
Rewards
Working Prototypes
During our two year development of Kapsul, we extensively modeled thermal performance to achieve the smallest possible form factor. After building many small-scale heat exchanger prototypes to check our math, we built a fully functioning air conditioner using custom components made to our specifications.
Currently, we have designed and built two full-scale prototypes. One is a thermal prototype which actually works to pump heat at the size we have designed, and a user experience prototype which acts as a testbed for us to work on the installation experience, confirm the function of our light pipe and knob design, and continue to develop the iOS and Android apps to confirm software/hardware integration.
Our certified HVAC technician charging our system with refrigerant.
Kurt using Flir. Foam covers the compressor to prevent heat from interfering with the infrared camera readings.
Infrared camera shows a profile view of the working Kapsul prototype. A pane of plastic was placed across the fans to capture the difference in temperature. Cold (inside of room) is shown in dark blue, hot (outside of building) is shown in yellow.
Our working prototype proves that the underlying technology is ready for production. The fans, heat exchangers, and other components used in the Kapsul prototype were all custom-built to our specifications. Our outside heat exchanger manufacturer has checked our math, and an accredited HVAC technician charged the unit shown in this video with ozone-friendly R410a refrigerant.
The Team
UL Certification
Like any reputable household appliance, Kapsul will ship on Day 1 with a UL listing, ensuring that a trusted third party has evaluated and tested our product to ensure it is safe for operation in your home. We've budgeted time and money to ensure that all of UL's requirements are met, as set out in the UL-484 requirements document.
Kapsul has been in development for over two years, and in that time our team of experienced engineers and designers have addressed all the major technical hurdles associated with this product. After many prototypes and much analysis, Kapsul is ready to begin the road to production.
Kapsul worked with the team at Likuma Labs, an established product development firm that has experience bringing projects from the drawing board to the production line in various industries including consumer products, medical devices, and industrial automation. We know what it takes to bring hardware into production, and we know there will be challenges along the way.
No product development process is free from hiccups, and that's why we live by the mantra to "prototype early and often." We've budgeted a year to bring Kapsul into production and into your hands well before the Summer of 2017. We know this is a long time to wait, but Kapsul is a complex device with electronics and mechanical systems, and it must communicate with two separate apps (iOS and Android). Rather than rush to put out a buggy, 0th-generation product, we want our backers to have the user experience they deserve on the first day they open the box.
In the Summer of 2016 we plan to extensively test numerous pre-production units here in our own Philadelphia homes to work out all the bugs and kinks in the design and user interface so that we can move into full production knowing the design is ready for you. We've budgeted extra production time in case the first production units don't meet our exacting requirements. During the production roll-out, some specifications presented above may change slightly, such as precise dimensions and energy data. However, we believe the numbers presented to be a realistic outcome, and are not just optimistic estimates.
There is a risk that Kapsul will not be ready to ship in time for Spring of 2017. Given the seasonal nature of the product, a 3-6 month slip in timeline would result in Kapsul being delivered during or after the Summer of 2017. We know that backers would be incredibly disappointed in this result, and we are working late nights and weekends to minimize this risk. However, given the complexity of the supply chain management, regulatory requirements, and third-party safety verification required, backers should understand there is a risk the shipment timeline could slip into or beyond the Summer of 2017.
Kapsul is currently designed to only be placed horizontally. There are a number of engineering issues that must be addressed before Kapsul could be placed vertically, including compressor lubrication and condensate dripping. However, given the feedback from many interested parties, we are exploring incorporating this into the design as we move forward with production. However, potential backers should note that we cannot commit to accommodating a vertical installation at this time.
Accommodating the electrical and regulatory requirements of each country will take time, and we can only commit to delivering Kapsul in the United States and Canada at this time.
Kapsul will have a standard screen filter that we recommend cleaning once per season. This filter is used to prevent dust from clogging the evaporator coils and is not meant to improve room air quality with regard to pollen, dust, or smoke.
Schedule creation and temperature adjustments made through the app may initially only work within your home. However, the units will ship with Wi-Fi connectivity, and control via the Internet is a capability that is planned.
Kapsul's window frame adapter is designed to tilt the unit 3-degrees up so that the condensate can collect and drip outside of the window it's installed into. Kapsul will protrude about 8-9'' from the window, which will prevent water from dripping down the side of the building.
Kapsul is approximately 8 pounds lighter than current window air conditioners of similar capacity. The ergonomics of Kapsul's installation and handle contribute significantly to its ease of installation in addition to the moderate reduction in weight. Precise weight figures will be available as the project nears completion.
Kapsul will cost about $50.00 to run during the summer months. This is an extremely rough estimation, based on the following calculation:
0.480 kilowatts x 9.5 hours of cooling per day x 90 cooling days per season x $0.12 per kilowatt hour = $49 dollars a summer.
Your energy needs will vary depending on your geography, how hot the summer is, at what temperature you set the room, and how much electricity costs in your locale.
Kapsul is a 480 W, 110-120 V A/C appliance. It can be powered by an appropriately sized solar and/or energy storage system with an inverter and appropriate electronics.
Unfortunately, no. Kickstarter does not allow us to vary the shipping based on geographic location, and we aren't certain about where fulfillment will occur yet, either. Sorry about that!
The refrigerant and lubricant are hermetically sealed during manufacture, so no serious maintenance will be required over the life of the product. The screen filter should be cleaned with water each season.
Not at the moment. RV installation will require a custom adapter that we haven't provisioned for. If you decided to modify Kapsul or it's adapter in any way that's up to you but it won't be UL certified for safety.
We ask that Kapsul is installed per our directions in a single or double-hung window. If you decided to modify it in any way that's up to you but it won't be UL certified for safety.
Materials will mainly be painted metal and a minimal amount of UV-resistant plastic. All materials will be in compliance with Underwriter Laboratories requirements for rain, corrosion, and UV resistance.
We considered hundreds of words using an anagram generator. Kapsul came up, and it turned out to be an old, unused dictionary word for a type of water wheel. Since our internal fans and dial-display all look a bit like wheels, we thought it was a fitting name!
Looking for more information?Check the project
FAQ
