referring initially to fig1 , a cut away view of an exemplary ir sauna cabin , generally labeled 101 , is depicted showing an individual 103 seated therein . the far infrared (“ fir ”) heating element of the present invention , generally labeled 100 , is shown installed in wall 102 of sauna cabin 101 . the fir heating element 100 is shown radiating combined fir energy 105 in order to heat the individual 103 and cause individual 103 to sweat , providing therapeutic benefits , such as resonant absorption of the fir energy 105 within individual &# 39 ; s 103 bodily tissues . referring now to fig2 , fir heating element 100 is depicted , installed in a sauna wall 102 . the fir heating element 100 of the present invention is contemplated herein as a sauna heater , thus it is shown installed in a wooden enclosure 104 , however it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art , that the fir heating element 100 may be used for other purposes or installed in a variety of other enclosures , such as metal or composite materials . referring now to fig3 , the fir heating element 100 is shown prior to installation in a sauna . a metal shroud 106 provides structural support and mounting points for the ceramic heating element 108 ( shown in fig4 ) and carbon panel 110 . metal shroud 106 further provides mounting points to allow the entire fir heating element 100 to be mounted in place or on the sauna wall 102 ( shown if fig2 ). electrical cables 112 provide electrical power to fir heating element 100 , and more specifically electrical power individually to ceramic heating element 108 and carbon panel 110 . the power applied is distributed to the carbon panel 110 either directly ( described in conjunction with fig6 and 7 ), or by use of an electrical current bus ( described in conjunction with fig8 and 9 ). it is to be appreciated by those skilled in the art that metal shroud 106 may be constructed from various metallic or other ir - reflective materials known in the art . a purpose of metal shroud 106 is to reflect ir energy in the direction of individual 103 . various types of steel , aluminum , or alloys are suitable for this type of application . metal shroud 106 may also take many different shapes and sizes , varying the reflective properties and direction of reflected energy . fig3 depicts a plurality of slots 116 formed within the carbon panel 110 . this figure shows 16 slots 116 for illustrative purposes . the number of slots may vary with the size of carbon panel 110 , desired output of the fir heating element 100 , and application thereof . in other words , the number of slots 116 depicted should not be viewed by those skilled in the art as a limiting characteristic of the present invention . more specifically , slots 116 are implemented to allow a greater volume of the ir energy produced by the ceramic heating element 108 to flow through the carbon panel 110 in order to reach the individual 103 inside the sauna cabin 101 . the number of slots 116 described herein is therefore fully adaptable to create a specific ir energy output while maximizing the desired fir energy 105 output . referring now to fig4 , the ceramic heating element 108 is depicted , as it would be found prior to installation in fir heating element 100 . the ceramic heating element 108 used in the construction of fir heating element 100 may be one of the many varieties of ceramic heating elements commercially available in the market . this figure shows the cylindrical nature of the ceramic heating element 108 , in addition to its mounting points 109 . when power is applied via electrical supply 112 across the ceramic heating element 108 , the impedance of ceramic heating element 108 causes a transfer of energy resulting in ceramic heating element 108 heating up . as ceramic heating element 108 increases in temperature , it begins radiating ir energy . this radiation flows radially away from ceramic heating element through slots 116 in carbon panel 110 to the individual 103 inside the sauna cabin 101 . ir energy 107 flowing toward metal shroud 106 is reflected , so this energy also flows through slots 116 . the ir energy emitted by ceramic heating element 108 combines with fir energy 105 emitted by carbon panel 110 to provide individual 103 with combined fir energy 105 , as shown in fig1 . referring now to fig5 , ceramic heating element 108 is installed in metal shroud 106 . the interior shape of metal shroud 10 $ is optimally designed to reflect the ir energy 107 away from the fir heating element 100 and direct the ir energy 107 toward the individual 103 inside the sauna cabin 101 . it is to be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the shape of metal shroud 106 is variable based on application . in the present embodiment , metal shroud 10 $ and ceramic heating element 108 are placed behind carbon panel 110 in an effort to minimize the overall size of the fir heating element 100 . as will be explained in additional embodiments , ceramic heating element 108 may be placed alongside carbon panel 110 , or multiple ceramic heating elements 108 may be employed to increase the volume or modify the direction of ir energy 107 emitted . referring to fig6 , the reverse side of the carbon panel 110 is shown . this figure depicts aluminum backing 118 ( shown in dashed lines ) adhered to carbon panel 110 , slots 116 formed in the panel 110 , electrical connections 120 and 121 , and heating layer 130 . the focus of this figure is electrical connections 120 and 121 . electrical cables 112 provide electrical power to the ceramic heating element 108 , and to electrical connections 120 and 121 . electrical connections 120 and 121 are affixed to the back of carbon panel 110 , and create an electric potential across carbon panel 110 , transferring an electrical charge to the heating layer 130 within carbon panel 110 when energized . the electric potential creates an electric current through heating layer 130 of the carbon panel 110 . heating layer 130 is composed of carbon fiber . since metals , such as aluminum , conduct more heat than carbon fiber , the aluminum backing 118 is fit in place to assist in distributing the heat across carbon panel 110 . such an arrangement more evenly distributes the heat produced by carbon panel 110 and more efficiently heats carbon panel to an appropriate temperature . carbon panel 110 then increases to approximately 100 °- 140 ° f . and emits ir energy 107 in the desired fir band . as carbon panel 110 increases in temperature and begins to emit fir energy 105 , the fir energy 105 is radiated in all directions . aluminum backing 118 further serves to direct ( and reflect ) fir energy 105 emitted by carbon panel 110 toward individual 103 . fig7 is a close - up view of electrical connection 120 . in a preferred embodiment , electrical connection 120 is identical to electrical connection 121 , differing only in the polarity of the electrical charge . it should be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that electrical connections 120 and 121 are polarity insensitive . this figure depicts electrical connection 120 affixed directly to heating layer 130 of carbon panel 110 and aluminum backing 118 as a dashed line . in this embodiment , the electrical potential is applied directly to the carbon material within heating layer 130 . referring to fig8 , an alternative embodiment of carbon panel is shown and generally designated 200 . in this embodiment , heating layer 230 is constructed of pulverized carbon or carbon fiber and is the active heating element of carbon panel 200 of the present invention . once electrified via electrical connections 231 and 232 , heating layer 230 produces the fir energy 105 desired by the present invention . in order to more efficiently distribute an electrical charge across heating layer 230 , current bus 234 is implemented , providing a direct electrical connection between heating layer 230 and electrical connections 231 and 232 via the pulverized carbon or carbon fiber . depending on the composition of the carbon in heating layer 130 , electrical connections 120 , 121 , such as those shown in fig6 and 7 , might cause uneven heating of heating layer 130 should the conductive properties of the carbon be inadequate to conduct electricity evenly across heating layer 130 . in that situation , power applied to carbon panel 110 may heat a limited area around electrical connections 120 , 121 more than the rest of the entire heating layer 130 . this may cause “ hot spots ” where electrical connections 120 , 121 are made , in fig6 and 7 . the hot spots can burn the carbon in that area of heating layer 130 and result in a shorter operational life for the entire carbon panel 110 . to combat this , carbon panel 200 employs current buses 234 and 236 to provide longer electrical connections to heating layer 230 thereby creating a more even electrical current distribution in heating layer 230 . electrical connections 231 and 232 connect directly to current buses 236 and 234 respectively , which is in direct electrical contact with heating layer 230 and allows for more effective and efficient transmission and distribution of electrical potential across carbon panel 200 , creating a more even electrical connection across the width of heating layer 230 . in an embodiment , carbon panel 200 utilizes copper current buses 234 and 236 to conduct and distribute the electrical current across heating layer 230 . copper is known in the art as a particularly conductive material commonly used in electrical wiring and readily availability in the market . this aspect however does not preclude the use of other conductive metals for current buses 234 and 236 , such as aluminum . current buses 234 and 236 , on either end of heating layer 230 , evenly distribute the electrical charge across both ends of heating layer 230 due to the effectively zero ( 0 ) resistance of current busses 234 and 236 , and thus enhances heat distribution across carbon panel 200 . this results in the effective alleviation of the hot spots that could form around electrical connections 231 and 232 . in an embodiment , such as that described by fig8 , carbon panel 200 has multiple , narrower heating layers 230 , as shown . due to the limited conductive properties of carbon fiber as discussed , the narrow design is appropriate in some circumstances . the narrower width of heating layers 230 in fig8 reduces the distance an electrical charge must travel , further reducing the chances of hot spots in heating layers 230 . the number of heating layers 230 selected herein ( two ) is chosen for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting . composition of the carbon and power applied to the system , among other factors , may dictate a different width , number of heating layers 230 , and their shape . fig8 further depicts the position of insulating layers 224 , 225 , 226 , and 227 . insulating layers 224 , 225 , 226 , and 227 , more accurately depicted in fig1 , serve to insulate heating layer 230 , electrical connections 231 and 232 , and current buses 234 and 236 from lost voltage and heat , or other interference . insulating layers 224 , 225 , 226 , and 227 further provide structural support and rigidity for heating layer 230 . in this alternative embodiment , insulating layers 224 , 225 , 226 , and 227 are constructed from multiple layers of fiberglass and resin . these layers become translucent when cured and allow for easy transmission of fir energy 105 when heating layer 230 is energized . those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials , apart from fiberglass , may be utilized for this purpose . urethane , plexiglas , lucite , or other non - conductive , heat - resistant materials with similar characteristics may be employed for the same purpose . fiberglass was chosen for the present embodiment due to its minimal weight , flexibility , and ease of construction ; however , this should not be viewed as a limiting aspect of the present invention . in an embodiment , the flexible nature of the fiberglass further allows for installation of carbon panel 200 in a non - linear manner , should a design call for a curve in the shape of carbon panel 110 . referring to fig9 , a close up view of the electrical connection 231 , as depicted in fig8 , is shown . this figure shows aluminum backing 218 in dashed lines . as installed , heating layer 230 is not visible from the back of carbon panel 200 , as the aluminum backing 218 covers the majority of heating layer 230 and current buses 234 and 236 . referring now to fig1 , a cross section of carbon panel 200 is shown . electrical connection 231 ( or 121 of carbon panel 110 ) imparts an electric potential across heating layer 230 . electrical connection 231 is shown in this figure in direct contact with current bus 234 , and is shown in dashed lines where it passes through insulating layers 224 and 225 as well as aluminum backing 218 . insulating layers 224 , 225 , 226 , and 227 provide a barrier for the electricity imparted by the electrical potential across carbon panel 200 , and more specifically heating layer 230 . heating layer 230 and current bus 234 are sandwiched between insulating layers 224 and 225 and insulating layers 226 and 227 , where an adhesive , such as epoxy resin , holds them in place . further , aluminum backing 118 is secured to the back of carbon panel 110 with an adhesive . in an embodiment , other suitable metallic materials are substituted for aluminum and copper in the present invention . aluminum and copper are readily available in the market and provide suitable electrical performance for the present invention at a reasonable expense ; however , other embodiments could utilize other conductive materials for current busses 234 and 236 , such as nickel , gold , silver , or any one of innumerable metal alloys . fig1 depicts an exploded , perspective view of the cross section of carbon panel 200 . in an embodiment , carbon panel 200 has six ( 6 ) layers : insulating layers 224 , 225 , 226 , and 227 , heating layer 230 , and aluminum backing 218 . heating layer 230 is sandwiched between them , as shown in this figure and fig1 . current bus 234 is in direct electrical contact with heating layer 230 and electrical connection 231 . this cross sectional view is also representative of carbon panel 110 as in fig6 and 7 , except for the sole addition of current bus 234 . the six ( 6 ) layers described herein are not intended to be limiting . the thickness of insulating layers 224 , 225 , 226 , and 227 may dictate more or fewer layers , in addition to the thickness and conductive properties of the carbon within the heating layer 230 . moreover , a different material may be substituted for aluminum backing 218 to provide the same functions . the length of the carbon fibers that make up heating layer 130 is significant . carbon fibers themselves are approximately 5 μm - 10 μm thick and the narrow dimensions of the fibers determine the ultimate fir energy 105 output of the entire carbon panel 200 ( or carbon panel 110 ). as the heating layer 230 increases in temperature , due to inherent qualities and emissivity , the carbon fibers within heating layer 230 emit radiation , ideally in the fir spectrum . the fibers themselves , as well as carbon panel 200 ( and heating layers 230 ) may be varied in size , allowing the manufacturer to “ tune ” the wavelength of the fir energy 105 and amount of energy that is radiated therefrom , in order to achieve the precise 9 . 4 μm desired for optimum resonant absorption by the human body . in an embodiment , the carbon material comprising the heating layer 130 or 230 is doped with additional compounds , such as semi - conductor compounds , that may further “ tune ” the fir energy 105 output . since the surface temperature of carbon panel 200 has a direct effect on the fir energy 105 output of fir heating element 200 , a modified carbon compound within heating layer 230 that adjusts conductivity of the carbon will directly affect the surface temperature of carbon panel 200 , and thus the fir energy 105 output of the entire system . now referring to fig1 , shown is another alternative embodiment of the fir heating element of the present invention and generally referred to as 300 . this embodiment includes four ceramic heating elements 108 placed along the four sides of carbon panel 310 , each housed in its own metal shroud 306 . metal shrouds 306 provide similar function as metal shroud 106 above , reflecting ir energy 107 from the ceramic heating elements 108 in use , toward the individual 103 seated within ir sauna cabin 101 . in this embodiment , ceramic heating elements 108 are not placed behind carbon panel 110 , and therefore like the previous alternate embodiment , slots analogous to slots 116 are not required . this embodiment is designed for larger fir heating element 300 applications within an ir sauna cabin 101 . in this alternative embodiment , the operation of fir heating element 300 is ostensibly the same as described above . electrical power is supplied by electrical cables 312 , to power all four ceramic heating elements 108 , in addition to providing electrical power to electrical connections 320 and 321 ( shown in dashed lines ) and current buses 334 ( shown in dashed lines ). once powered , the electrical potential is present across larger carbon panel 310 , transferring heat . ceramic heating elements 108 in this alternative embodiment provide ir energy as before , with more combined surface area and approximately four times the output as a single ceramic heating element 108 . in this embodiment , ceramic heaters 108 and carbon panel 310 are electrically connected in a serial configuration . it is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that power to ceramic heaters 108 and carbon panel 310 can be by an electrically parallel configuration , an electrically serial configuration , or a combination of parallel and serial configurations , depending on the needs of the actual sauna cabin 101 design and the power requirements of the individual components . larger carbon panel 310 is shown in fig1 having three heating layers 330 , however it is to be appreciated that like the previous alternate embodiment , larger carbon panel 310 may be formed with many different variations in the number of smaller heating layers 330 and their orientation with respect to each other and the sauna cabin 101 itself . located behind heating panels 330 is aluminum backing 318 ( shown in dashed lines ). the function of aluminum backing 318 is similar to aluminum backing 118 shown in fig6 and 7 and aluminum backing 218 in fig8 - 11 . in this embodiment , aluminum backing does not have slots 116 as shown in fig6 since there is not a ceramic heater located behind the aluminum panel 318 that would require the use of slots to allow ir energy 117 to pass through . in an embodiment , current buses 334 may further be enlarged or lengthened to optimize the voltage and current applied to the heating layer 330 . referring now to fig1 , user 103 is seated in the exemplary sauna cabin 101 , depicted with the further addition of led panel assembly , generally labeled 400 , attached to the back wall 102 of sauna 101 . fig1 shows an isolated view of the led panel assembly 400 , having an led panel 402 on an articulated arm system 404 attached to a base 406 , further attached to the interior wall of a sauna cabin 101 . led array 408 contains a plurality of individual ir leds 409 , in quantities that provide sufficient fir energy 105 for a given application . in a preferred embodiment , led panel assembly 400 is used in conjunction with multiple fir heating elements 100 within the same sauna cabin 101 . in a preferred embodiment , due to the use of the arm system 404 , user 103 may pull led panel 402 toward him or her , and position it such that fir energy 405 emitted from led panel 402 is concentrated on a specific area of the user &# 39 ; s 103 body , such as the face . in a preferred embodiment , led panel 402 is connected to base 406 by a series of two or more extension arms 404 a and 404 b that are movable by way of arm hinge 410 between upper extension arm 404 a and lower extension arm 404 b , and base hinge 412 between lower extension arm 404 b and base 406 . arm hinge 410 and base hinge 412 are designed and constructed with sufficient tension such that when user 103 pulls led panel 402 to the desired position , it remains in place until moved again . in an embodiment , led array 404 on led panel 402 has a user - selectable fir output , controlled by control unit 414 on base 406 . power to the led panel assembly 400 is also controlled through control unit 414 and receives power through power adapter 415 and power cord 416 from power receptacle 418 within the sauna cabin 101 . power is supplied from power receptacle 418 ( see fig1 ) through base 406 , to led panel 402 from control unit 414 , via electrical conduit ( not shown ) within extension arms 404 a and 404 b . in an alternative embodiment , power to led panel assembly 400 is supplied through power connections ( not shown ) that base 406 makes with the wall in sauna 101 , removing the requirement for power cord 416 and power receptacle 418 . in this embodiment , electrical contacts on both the interior sauna well ( not shown ), and electrical contacts ( not shown ) on the bottom of base 406 complete the power circuit and provide power to led panel assembly 400 when connected to the sauna well 102 in sauna cabin 101 . referring now to fig1 , a cut away view of sauna cabin , generally labeled 500 , is shown with a bench seat 502 built onto a back wall 504 via hinges 506 below a plurality fir heating elements 100 , of different sizes , also installed in the back wall 504 of sauna 500 . seat base plate 556 of pedestal seat assembly 550 ( shown in fig1 ) is also shown , built into sauna floor 510 . three ( 3 ) fir heating elements 100 are shown in this figure , however the depicted sauna configuration in this figure is not intended to be limiting , as additional fir heating elements may also be installed in any wall of sauna 500 as required . additionally , sauna 500 may incorporate one or more led panel assemblies 400 as shown in fig1 , at the desire of the user 103 , bench seat 502 may be rotated down against back wall 504 via hinges 506 . bench seat 502 is completely out of the way , providing additional space within the sauna 500 . in use , bench seat 502 may be secured to side walls 508 with the use of horizontal supports 512 . in an alternative embodiment , bench seat 502 is not permanently secured to any of the three walls ( back wall 504 and side walls 508 ), but merely rests on horizontal supports 512 and a back wall support ( not shown ) that is built into back wall 504 . in such an embodiment , the horizontal supports 512 and back wall support ( not shown ) support the bench seat 502 in use . in this embodiment , the entire bench seat 502 may be lifted off the supports and out of position and stowed vertically against back wall 504 or may be removed from the sauna cabin 500 altogether . in still another alternative embodiment , bench seat 502 may , instead of rotating down , be rotated up to the vertical and secured to the back wall 504 , again moving the bench out of the way . in this alternative embodiment , horizontal supports 512 remain , providing support of either end of bench seat 502 in use , while hinges 506 provide support for bench seat 502 along back wall 504 . once bench seat 502 is no longer in the way , pedestal seat assembly 550 may be installed in the floor , or more specifically , attached to seat base plate 556 providing a seating solution immediately in front of the fir heating elements 101 . pedestal seat assembly 550 provides the user with a more comfortable and adjustable seating option than a fixed bench seat . this aspect should not be considered limiting to those skilled in the art , as any number of installation positions may be selected by the user , based on personal preference . alternatively , the user 103 may also dispense with installation of pedestal seat assembly 550 , and utilize the additional floor space within the sauna 500 for stretching or other exercises . referring now to fig1 , a bottom perspective view of the pedestal seat assembly , generally labeled 550 , is shown , depicting the pedestal seat 552 , seat base pole 554 , seat base plate 556 and associated hardware . pedestal seat 552 is connected to seat base pole 554 by way of hinge assembly 558 . the hinge assembly &# 39 ; s 558 axis lies on the rear of pedestal seat 552 , allowing pedestal seat 552 to fold backward , decreasing its overall volume and allowing pedestal seat assembly 550 to be stowed in a more compact manner when not in use . also shown in fig1 is the snap lock 560 , attached to the bottom of pedestal seat 552 . snap lock 560 latches to the hinge base 570 ( shown in fig2 ) when pedestal seat assembly 550 is in use . releasing snap lock 560 allows pedestal seat 552 to be folded backward as described above . in a preferred embodiment , seat base pole 554 is formed with a male end 562 that fits securely into barrel 564 ( shown in fig1 ) in seat base plate 556 , in use . this feature provides a stable platform for the support of pedestal seat assembly 550 and user 103 in use but also allows easy removal and stowage of pedestal seat assembly 550 when not in use . additionally , the connection between male end 562 and barrel 564 allows the free rotation of the entire pedestal seat assembly 550 , about the male end 562 . snap lock 560 secures hinge assembly 558 in the dosed position , as shown , preventing pedestal seat 552 from folding and user 103 from falling backwards off the pedestal seat 552 when seated . while fig1 depicts a pedestal seat 552 that has a defined “ front ” and “ rear ,” this should not be considered limiting . alternative embodiments may employ any practical shape , such as a round pedestal seat . in order to accommodate various user 103 statures , the preferred embodiment of pedestal seat assembly 550 incorporates a hydraulic cylinder into the seat base pole 554 , with height control lever 566 , allowing adjustment of seat assembly 550 to various heights . height control lever 566 is provided to release pressure within the hydraulic cylinder ( not shown ) to adjust the height of the pedestal seat 552 . when user 103 occupies the seat and actuates the height control lever 556 , user &# 39 ; s 101 body weight compresses the cylinder , lowering pedestal seat 552 to the desired height . when user 101 releases height control lever 566 , pedestal seat 552 will remain at the selected height , until adjusted further . if the pedestal seat 552 is not occupied and in a low position , when height control lever 556 is actuated the cylinder will extend , raising the pedestal seat 552 . this system functions identically to common office chair systems in the market , however in a preferred embodiment , the materials used are selected so as to be compatible with the elevated temperature , sometimes humid sauna environment , and the users 103 sweat . fig1 shows the interaction between the seat base pole 554 and seat base plate 556 when user 103 inserts male end 562 into barrel 564 . mounted within the floor 510 of sauna 500 is seat base plate 556 such that the top of the seat base plate 556 is flush with sauna floor 510 . barrel 564 in seat base plate 556 is sized to accommodate male end 562 of seat base pole 554 . during construction of the sauna 500 , in order to properly install seat base plate 556 in the floor , a hole must first be established in sauna floor 510 to accommodate barrel 564 when seat base plate 556 is installed . it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this style of interaction between seat base plate 556 with barrel 564 and male end 562 should not be considered as limiting . in an embodiment , the male end 562 is free to swivel within barrel 564 , ultimately allowing the entire pedestal seat assembly 550 to swivel . in an alternative embodiment , the connection between seat base pole 554 and lower hinge plate 568 allows only the pedestal seat 552 to swivel about the seat base pole 554 , as opposed to the entire system . in another alternative embodiment of the pedestal seat assembly 550 , male end 562 is formed with a spring - loaded latch ( not shown ) that secures male end 562 within barrel 564 , with a manual release ( not shown ) formed in the seat base pole 554 for separation of the two elements . fig1 shows a rear bottom view of the pedestal seat 552 in addition to interaction between the lower hinge plate 568 of the hinge assembly 558 and the seat base pole 554 , and the height control lever 566 . also shown is hinge 559 that rotatably connects lower hinge plate 568 to upper hinge plate 569 . fig2 shows a close up view of the snap lock 560 , in the latched position , on the bottom of pedestal seat 552 . in use , latch 570 retains the edge of lower hinge plate 568 and prevents hinge assembly 558 from operating . snap lock 560 is manipulated by pulling out on tab 572 in direction 576 , which in turn pulls in latch 570 and releases the edge of lower hinge plate 568 allowing pedestal seat 552 to rotate away from seat base pole 554 and lower hinge plate 568 , as depicted in fig2 . referring now to fig2 , hinge assembly 558 is shown in the open position , after snap lock 560 has been actuated , isolated from pedestal seat 552 and the seat base pole 554 . lower hinge plate 568 is attached to the top of seat base pole 554 , while upper hinge plate 574 is fastened to the bottom of pedestal seat 502 by way of hardware fasteners , such as bolts or screws ( not shown ). provisions for four such fasteners on both upper hinge plate 574 and lower hinge plate 568 are depicted in this figure , however that should not be interpreted as limiting by those skilled in the art . this configuration of pedestal seat assembly 550 allows for the folding of pedestal seat 552 and easier stowage of pedestal seat assembly 550 , such as under the bench seat 502 in sauna 500 in fig1 and fig1 . it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art , that any such latch or similar locking mechanism like snap lock 560 may be employed to prevent pedestal seat 552 from rotating and allowing pedestal seat assembly 550 from folding . in an embodiment , hinge assembly 558 incorporates a locking mechanism into the design of the hinge itself , eliminating the requirement for a separate latching mechanism , such as snap lock 560 . referring now to fig2 , a cutaway of the interior of an exemplary exercise sauna 600 , showing three fir heating elements 100 installed in the back wall 604 , similar to fig1 and fig1 . in addition to the other features of previous figures , multiple “ d ” rings 620 are installed in the back wall 604 and side walls 608 , and sauna floor 610 . also pictured is seat base plate 556 installed in sauna floor 610 . further , and similar to previous embodiments , bench seat 502 is also shown in the stowed position against back wall 604 , providing additional space to user 603 within sauna cabin 600 . “ d ” rings 620 are designed to provide a fixed point to which exercise implements such as elastic bands 630 or other similar exercise implements may be attached for use while user 603 is inside the sauna . in this figure , user 603 is depicted working out with two elastic bands 630 attached to back wall 604 . in a preferred embodiment , any number of different exercises may be accomplished through resistance training with elastic bands 630 , making use of the various “ d ” ring 620 positions within sauna 600 . while the user 603 is inside the sauna cabin , he may take advantage of “ d ” rings 620 and elastic bands 630 through various arm exercises such as a modified bench press , military press , or innumerable shoulder , core , and arm exercises . by using the floor 610 mounted “ d ” rings 620 , overhead exercises may also be performed , in addition to leg and core exercises . by conducting a workout within the confines of a sauna 600 , user 603 gains the benefit not only of the resistance training , but also the fir energy 105 he or she absorbs while inside sauna 600 . the physical exertion of a workout plus the fir energy 105 produces a much heavier sweat benefiting the user 603 significantly more than exercise alone . also shown in fig2 is the seat base plate 556 . this figure is exemplary of the additional room afforded the user 603 when bench 502 is in the stowed position and pedestal seat assembly 550 is removed . the extra space provided allows the user 603 to conduct many variations of exercise or stretching , hot yoga , resistance training , or other such activities . in an alternative preferred embodiment , user 603 may also install pedestal seat assembly 550 ( not shown ) using it as support or to further vary the exercise possibilities within sauna 600 , “ d ” rings 620 are shown in several locations on all walls of sauna 600 , indicative of the versatility and varying options for connection and use of elastic exercise bands 630 . fig2 is a close up view of the back wall 604 of sauna 600 . fir heating element 100 is installed in back wall 604 , and six ( 6 ) “ d ” rings 620 are shown , fastened to back wall 604 , between fir heating elements 100 . it is to be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the six “ d ” rings 620 depicted should not be considered limiting and more or fewer may be installed to optimize or customize the interior of sauna 600 . virtually any number of “ d ” rings 620 may be installed at the user 603 &# 39 ; s discretion , providing additional exercise options . the same options exist for the side walls 608 and floor 610 . referring now to fig2 , an exploded view of the “ d ” ring fastener 620 is shown . in a preferred embodiment , the “ d ” ring 620 has a protective grommet 622 , ring 624 , and bracket 626 . protective grommet 622 is in a position between the wall 604 of sauna 600 and bracket 626 , secured to wall 604 by way of screws , bolts , and any other hardware typical of this type of installation . protective grommet 622 is intended to provide a surface against which ring bracket 624 rests , and protection against any damage to wall 604 that might otherwise be caused by clips or fasteners attached to the ring 624 during a user &# 39 ; s 603 exercise routine . ring 624 and bracket 626 are integrated parts , in which ring 624 is capable of rotation along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the bracket 626 . this enables the ring 624 to fold flat against grommet 622 when ring 624 is not in use . “ d ” ring 620 provides a connection point for elastic bands 630 or other similar exercise implements desired by the user 603 . in a preferred embodiment , the “ d ” ring 624 is mounted in such a way that the ring 626 will fall flat against the grommet 622 when not in use . referring now to fig2 , a top view of a back wall 604 with a “ d ” ring 620 installed and an elastic exercise band 630 attached to the “ d ” ring 630 . due to the curvature of the outer portion 640 of back wall 604 , when a user 603 ( not shown ) applies a force to elastic exercise band 630 in direction 630 , an equal and opposite force is also applied in direction 634 . the equal and opposite force is then distributed along the curve formed by outer portion of the back wall 604 in direction 636 . forces 634 such as these are not typical for sauna construction , and as such , certain modifications to the structure are beneficial . a force 634 such as that described above acting perpendicular to flat inner wall portion 638 may tend to flex the wall inward in direction 632 , bowing the wall 604 and potentially causing damage to the structure with time . however in the preferred embodiment of sauna 600 with “ d ” rings 620 installed , as shown by fig2 , sauna walls 609 employ a curvature of the outer wall portions , such as outer wall portion 634 of back wall 604 . this external curvature of the outer sauna wall 609 more effectively distributes the forces imparted on the inner wall portion 638 of back wall 604 . much like an arch distributes the weight of the bridge or building for which it was built , the external curves more evenly distribute force 634 into smaller force components 640 and prevent the inward bowing that would otherwise be experienced without the use of an externally curved sauna wall 609 , using the “ d ” rings 620 in sauna 600 . in use , externally curved wall 609 may be utilized in place of sauna back wall 604 or side wall 608 , or corresponding features of other , previously describe embodiments . it is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that one or more walls may have a curved out portion depending on the design of a spa and the needs of the user . referring now to fig2 , a block diagram of a sauna access control system is shown and generally designated 700 . system 700 is configured to allow an administrator of a sauna to configure the access control system 700 to allow users the ability to energize and use the sauna for a period of time . the administrator uses remote computer 702 , which contains access control software . the access control software allows the administrator to generate a user account then grant that user account privileges associated with the sauna . the privileges may include a certain number of uses , where each use is limited to a preset amount of time . the preset amount of time may change depending on the time of day to accommodate the volume of users . for example , during times of low volume , the system may allow a user to use the sauna for 30 minutes . however , during times of high volume , the system may allow a user to use the sauna for only 15 minutes . alternative embodiments of the access control system 700 allows users access to the system based on a monetary amount associated with the user &# 39 ; s account . as long as the user &# 39 ; s account has a non - zero monetary amount associated with it , the user may use the sauna as long as the user &# 39 ; s account has money in it . the monetary amount in the user &# 39 ; s account is decreased based on the amount of time the sauna is used . once the account &# 39 ; s monetary value goes to zero , the access control system 700 deenergizes the sauna , which includes the sauna control panel and any equipment installed in the sauna , such as heaters and lights . if the user wishes to continue to use the sauna , the user must replenish the account &# 39 ; s monetary value . located away from remote computer 702 with an antenna 704 is the local system , which includes the following : a wireless transceiver 706 with an antenna 708 , a network access controller 710 , a card reader 712 , a relay 714 , a power supply 716 , a sauna control panel 718 , and a sauna 720 similar to ir sauna cabin 101 as described above . the sauna 720 may have heaters , lights , and any other devices associated with the operation and enjoyment of the sauna 720 . for example , the sauna 720 may have an entertainment system , wherein the entertainment system may comprise just an audio function or a combination of an audio function and a video function . the entertainment system may be controlled from the sauna control panel 718 or from inside the sauna enclosure . wireless transceiver 706 communicates wirelessly with remote computer 702 through antennas 708 and 704 respectively . it is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that the wireless function of system 700 may be hard wired using any interface known in the art . wireless transceiver 706 connects to a network access controller 710 . also connected to network access controller 710 is card reader 712 . the network access controller 710 receives data from the card reader 712 when a user &# 39 ; s access card is swiped by the card reader 712 . the data received from the card reader 712 is combined with data specific to the sauna 720 to create a requested privilege . it is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that a contactless card or electronic fob may be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . the use of a keypad , where a user manually inputs a unique identifier or a fingerprint reader is also fully contemplated . the network access controller 710 connects to a relay 714 . relay 714 controls the flow of power from power supply 716 to the sauna control panel 718 , thereby energizing the control panel 718 allowing a user to use the sauna 720 . after a predetermined period of time , access controller 710 causes relay 714 to open thereby removing power from sauna control panel 718 . in its default state , the sauna control panel 718 will have no power and will be unusable . an administrator , using the access control software of the remote computer 702 , assigns the privileges a user . to use the sauna 720 , the user must first swipe his or her access card using the card reader 712 . upon swiping the access card , the local system communicates the requested privilege to the access control software on the remote computer 702 . the access control software then returns an approval or disapproval for the requested privilege . if it returns an approval to the local system &# 39 ; s access controller 710 , the access controller sends a signal though a control output 711 causing the relay 714 to energize and close thereby energizing the sauna control panel 718 from the power supply 716 , which enables the operation of the sauna 720 . once energized , the sauna control panel 718 allow the user to turn on the sauna 720 and set sauna parameters , such as temperature or lighting level , to his or her desire . the sauna control panel 718 and the sauna 720 then remain activated for an amount of time . the amount of time may be a predetermined time set by the access control software on the remote computer 702 . alternatively , the amount of time may be based on an available monetary value associated with the user &# 39 ; s account . if the amount of time is predetermined , the sauna control panel 718 and the sauna 720 will remain energized for the predetermined amount of time . if the amount of time is based on the monetary value associated with the user &# 39 ; s account , the monetary value is decremented at a rate determined by an operator of the access control software . once the predetermined amount of time runs out or the monetary value associated with the user &# 39 ; s account is decremented to zero , the system 700 automatically cuts power to the sauna control panel 718 by opening relay 714 , which also cuts power to the sauna 720 . if the user &# 39 ; s account does not contain enough monetary value to reactivate the sauna control panel 718 , the user must replenish the monetary value of his or her account . when a user swipes a card using card reader 712 , the card reader delivers the user data from the card to the network access controller 710 . the network access controller then combines the user data with data specific to the local system to create a request to use the sauna 720 , which is communicated to the access control software running on the remote computer 702 . the access control software then compares the requested privilege to the settings in the user &# 39 ; s account , which may include an available monetary amount . if the settings support the requested privilege , the access control software returns an approval to the local system thereby allowing the user to use the sauna 720 associated with that card reader 712 . it is fully contemplated that remote computer 702 may interface with more than one local system . also , it is contemplated that network access controller 710 will automatically reject a swipe using card reader 712 if the sauna is already in use . moving now to fig2 , a process flowchart showing the process of operating the access control system 700 of the present invention is shown and generally designated 800 . beginning at start 802 , the process moves to step 804 , where an administrator of system 700 configures a user account using access control software on a remote computer . after establishing the user account in step 804 , step 806 has the administrator assigning specific privileges to that user account . for example , the privileges may allow use of the sauna only during off - peak times , or only for a specific amount of time . in step 808 , a user card is linked to the user account , which is used by the user to activate the sauna . it is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that the access card may be used to activate various services , such as a whirlpool or a steam bath . in step 810 , the allocated privileges are sent to the access controller . in step 812 , when at the sauna , a user swipes the access card using a card reader attached to the access controller , where the card reader communicates the data from the card to the access controller . step 814 then sends the data from the access controller to the access control software on the remote computer . in step 816 , the access control software verifies the user is entitled to the requested privilege . step 818 then has the access control software send approval or disapproval to the access controller . in step 820 , if the requested privilege is approved , the process moves to step 822 where the access controller sends a signal to a relay causing the relay to close , thereby applying power from a power supply to the sauna control panel to allow operation of the sauna and associated equipment . in step 824 , when the privilege expires , the access controller opens the relay thereby removing power from the sauna control panel and the sauna . lastly , in step 826 , the use may again swipe his or her access card to reenergize the sauna control panel and sauna equipment or must renew the privileges through the access control software . the process then ends with step 828 . returning to step 820 , if the access control software does not approve the requested privilege , the process moves to step 830 . step 830 determines if the sauna associated with the requested privilege is in use . if it is in use , the process goes to step 832 , which has the user wait until the sauna is no longer in use . when it is no longer in use , the process returns to step 812 , where the user swipes his or her card . if the sauna is not in use , the process returns to step 804 , where the user &# 39 ; s account is configured with the desired privilege . it is to be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that the various features of one or more embodiments may be combined with various features of one or more other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . while there have been shown what are presently considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention .