Nothing puts a strain on your local power grid like a hot, humid summer day. In many cities rolling blackouts are needed to cope with the strain, so it makes sense that companies would start developing smarter cooling devices. Quirky's Aros air conditioner is leading the charge, but this smarter oscillating fan is pretty clever too.


The black bar located below the $175 fan's spinning blades is actually a sensor capable of detecting the presence of humans. When a room is empty, it remains off, but when it senses people, it automatically turns on—but that's not all.

During the first minute of oscillation, the fan determines the positions and movements of people in the room, and then automatically adjusts its sweeping angle to direct the breeze to only where it's needed most. This not only serves to boost its effectiveness, but also minimize its power draw. And every little bit helps when it's a scorcher outside. [Tech-On!]