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The Automatic Shirt Flapper Is a Hysterical-Looking Gadget That Actually Works at Keeping You Cool

By Regina Sienra on September 4, 2023

Screenshots of video showing how an automatic shirt flapper gadget works

Photo: Screenshot from Twitter

Clever gadgets can make our lives more comfortable. There are some that fulfill a need we didn't even know existed. For example, when it's a hot summer day, many are familiar with the action of flapping their shirt to get a little bit of ventilation. Well, now there's a device that will do that for you. Inventor Kazuya Shibata created an automatic shirt flapper to help people stay a little bit cooler without the extra effort.

This little Arduino-controlled tool works by hooking it to the front of one's pants. Then, a magnet will hold the shirt in place while the lever arms push the front of the shirt back and forth. It's a simple, yet effective device that does exactly as it promises. Will it get you some weird looks on the street? Definitely, but the people staring at you probably won't be feeling as fresh as you are.

The automatic shirt flapper is just one in the long list of Shibata's quirky creations. Self-described as an inventor who makes things that are “just barely useful,” his creations include a “snack time keeper,” a “fully automatic tissue remover,” and most impressively, a “Street Fighter 6 battle device for cats.” His website states that Shibata “works every day to create products that are mecha-mechanical and full of love, and publishes his inventions on social media several times a year.”

To stay up to date with Shibata's “barely useful” invention, make sure to follow him on Instagram.