Love muffins, it looks as if technology has given us yet another product that makes you wonder, ‘who had the time to come up with this’. In Japan they have come up with a surface that can be used instead of the high cost it takes to maintain an ice skating rink.

The “ice” surfaces are manufactured by Mitsubishi plastics and are being marketed as a way to keep costs down while increasing the number of rinks in Japan, as skating booms in popularity for its athletes. Ice rinks are closing due to economic strain, and the fabricated rinks can save operators roughly $190,000 U.S. annually in both air conditioning and water bills.

Take me higher lord! I wonder how long it’s going to take before the U.S. jumps on the bandwagon. Would you like to get your Kristi Yamaguchi on with one of these rinks?