17 Hot Solar Powered Gadgets for A More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle
With the advancement of technology, we have become more dependent on using several gadgets in our daily activities and routines. Usage of these gadgets require a lot of energy, which is most likely in the form of electricity, for them to work. The Paris-based International Energy Agency estimates new electronic gadgets will triple their energy consumption by 2030.
To address these growing demands for electric consumption, we will cover seventeen innovative gadgets that are not just useful and practical but have less impact on the environment with their use of sunlight as the main power source.
1.Samsung Blue Earth Eco-Phone
A touchscreen solar-powered phone called “Blue Earth” has been unveiled by Samsung Electronics. Slated to be released in the latter part of this year, this mobile phone is made from a recycled plastic called PCM, which is recycled from plastic water bottles. The phone is designed to symbolize a flat and well rounded shiny pebble. It is the first such phone to the market and charges up via the solar panel on the back of the phone, which is designed to generate enough power to make a call anytime.
Adding to those green credentials, both the handset and its charger are free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate. Its phone features like Bluetooth settings, screen brightness, and backlight duration can be adjusted in an energy-saving mode called “Eco mode”. Other eco-friendly phone features include a built-in-pedometer which calculates how much CO2 emissions have been reduced by walking as opposed to taking the car. Detailed specifications and pricing information of this new mobile green advocate are due to be released prior to its market availability in the next few months.
2. Suntrica Solar Strap
Suntrica Solar Strap is a charging solution that gathers solar energy by the high-efficiency and flexible solar panel and store the energy into an internal lightweight battery, with a capacity of storing 3.7 Wh, for instant or later usage. It is a lightweight, flexible and wearable solar panel that can be integrated with any clothing designed for harsh outdoor use. When folded it only measures 144 x 97 x 25 mm and weighs only 60 grams.
It is capable of charging up any gadget that runs on 5V or less, such as your usual MP3 players, mobile phones, game consoles, GPS devices, digital camera and other personal gadgets. This gadget is a high-quality response to the mobile consumer electronics’ charging challenge in developing markets having limited access to electricity. For pricing information you may contact its manufacturer - Suntrica, the leader in flexible and high-efficiency solar charging solutions.
3. Chromasun Solar Powered Hybrid Air Conditioner
Planned to be released in the latter part of this year, the Chromasun air conditioner contains photovoltaic and solar thermal technology that harvest light and heat from the sun. Using a combination of mirrors, receivers and concentrators, the unit is able to offer better efficiency than of traditional solar cells. It uses less silicon than a conventional solar system with the same power rating because it uses Fresnel concentrated lens as part of the thermal system.
The solar air conditioner system generates electricity from the solar cells and it doesn’t require copious volumes of water or huge arrays of solar panels. With its promise that it will change the way you think about rooftop solar, this innovative gadget is out to deliver a good alternative to cool your hot evenings.
4. Fully Automated Solar-powered Lawn Mower Robot
The solar lawn mower robot (RBZG001), designed for commercial and home use, with solar energy and network technology, is a truly innovative product available in the market today. It uses solar power to charge itself while its network technology has a stable and strong force to move, trim the grass and climb the slopes.
The mower features technology such as high intelligence of image identification, telenet video inspection, and automatic function of identifying route, avoiding obstacle, stopping sliding from slope, spraying scrapes while working or collecting scrapes at planned location. No pricing information is available as of the moment, but I’m sure it won’t be so cheap for frugal buyers.
5. Solar Pool Cleaner
Cost of maintaining a pool can’t be that expensive with the introduction of this innovative product. The Solar Breeze skimmer is a simple pool cleaning device that floats on the surface of the pool removing the light debris, such as dust, bugs, pollen and light leaf litter, before it sinks. Since it uses solar energy to power the cleaner, it doesn’t need to be plugged in or require you to keep feeding it batteries.
With a price tag of only $450, you can enjoy cleaning the pool with no extra cost and the skimmer can also be useful with dispense chemicals into the pool to save running your pool’s pump all day, saving you money on your energy bills.
6. Powerbrella
Listening to your MP3 player while on your beach when suddenly it ran out of battery? Worry no more because someone has invented a solution that will enable us to use our gadget while enjoying the summer outdoors. And that is where Powerbrella comes to the picture.
Powerbrella contains solar panels on top of the umbrella which gathers solar energy to power up your gadget. With outlets at the bottom, you can easily charge your mobile phone, watch with your portable DVD player or enjoy the music with your speakers while chilling in the beach.
7. Solar Power Sunglasses
Designed by Hyun-Joong Kim and Kwang-Seok Jeong, innovative and slick sunglasses can now keep your MP3 player or other device fully charged. These “Self-Energy Converting Sunglasses” uses lenses which have dye solar cells that collect energy and making it able to power your small devices through the power jack at the back of the frame.
The power-generating glasses are composed of a “cheap organic dye that uses nano technology to provide cheap but high energy efficiency.” With the lens turning the sunlight rays into electrical energy, makes your reliable eyewear on dual purpose – not just protecting your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun but can also keep you use your personal gadget at the same time.
8. COM-BAT, Solar-powered robotic spy plane
With modern warfare properly utilizing technology, new gadgets have been formulated for surveillance and espionage, as information played a big role in securing victory in the battle. And one of them is known as COM-BAT. It is a six-inch robotic spy plane modeled after a bat would gather data from sights, sounds, and smells in urban combat zones and transmit information back to a soldier in real time.
With its small size, limited battery power is not a problem as its uses solar, wind and vibration energies to recharge its battery. With its low-power miniaturized radar and a very sensitive navigation system, it can always find its way at night. The Solar spy craft is also designed to function as sharply and as astutely as the real creature itself.
9. SunCat Solar Batteries
Inventor Knut Karlsen has recently came up with his approach of portable power and this result to the introduction of SunCat, a battery which is capable of charging itself when exposed to sunlight. SunCat C-cells are wrapped in flexible photovoltaic panels and it will slowly recharge when left in the sun.
Integrating 1.8V flexible photovoltaic cells with 1.5NiMH rechargeable batteries with a conductive silver pen and a few flat wires slowly charges the battery and it can be left attached indefinitely without overcharging. These rechargeable batteries eliminate charges completely by integrating solar cells within the battery.
10. YAYA Portable Solar Charger
Maintain connectivity with your PDA or mobile devices with this portable solar charger designed by TechieFriends. It encases an 1800mAh battery pack which can be recharged either through a USB port on your computer, wall outlet, your car’s cigarette lighter or simply the sun. With its light weight of 3.28 oz and dimensions of 2.16 inches in width and 4.13 inches in height, you can easily carry this device wherever you go.
It also includes multiple connectors for different devices such as cell phone, iPhone, iPod, PSP, DS Lite or virtually any other electronic device you can think of. This cool gadget enables you to leave all your bulky cables and chargers at home as it universally does the job of them all.
11. World’s Best Looking Solar Gadget Charger
Created and designed by Vivien Muller, a Photosynthesis solar tree is a lego-like little bonsai tree which consists of 54 mini photovoltaic panels as its leaves. With the solar energy soaking up the juice of the tree, you can easily charge any of your personal gadgets by attaching the adapters tucked beneath the nice little tray of the tree. This object is made of several modules fitted together by a 3.5 jack connector.
You can rotate each part individually and produce an endless number of different shapes. With its aesthetic and innovative design it provides alternative source of energy in powering up your latest tool and being decorative at the same time. Maybe in the future we can expect planting rows of life-sized of these solar tree chargers in urban settings to power street lamps and such.
12. Q-Sound Solar-powered Headphones
Q-Sound headphones is one gadget that definitely makes the most of days when the sun is beating down on your head. Its silicon solar cells are placed directly on the user’s crown, making it efficiently absorb valuable rays for powers. It also incorporates Bluetooth technology which allows the user to sync their Bluetooth enabled device, such as digital media player or mobile phone, for some wireless sound action. Not only the user can listen to the music but he or she can also take phone calls. A 3.5 mm jack is also included so the user can use a wired connection if Bluetooth is not available.
Designed by Shepeleff Stepehen, this gadget can provide the user with 2.67 hours of running time with one hour exposure to sunlight and it can hold a forty hour charge with its two removable NiMH batteries. With its futuristic design, Q-Sound headphones not only ensure that music enjoyment is energy-efficient, but also projection of detached cool won’t be compromised.
13. iUnikia GYY, Solar-powered Netbook
The introduction of netbook in the computer market gave the computer geeks the luxury of mobility and a solar-powered netbook would be a great bonus. A European technology iUnika perfected the technology and developed a solar-powered netbook known as GYY. Because it is an eco-friendly gadget, it’s not much powerful but it still has a decent specs. It sports 128 MB RAM, 64 GB SSD drive, 400 MHz speed and Linux operating system.
This 8-inch netbook, with a whooping 800 x 400 resolution, and weighing only 700 grams really embodies what mobility is about. No need to carry portable chargers, as it can be charged through sunlight saving a lot of cost of electricity! It is initially available in the European market for a cheap price of 160 Euros (or roughly $200).
14. Voltaic Generator Solar Bag
The Voltaic Generator is the first solar bag powerful enough, which is able to harvest solar power to charge a laptop with less than a day’s worth of sun rays. It features high efficiency solar panels that are able to generate up to 15 watts of power, enough to juice up the entire Voltaic battery within 5 hours.
The generator bag includes common adaptors for easily connecting laptops, mobile phones and other handheld devices. It also provides USB and car charger outlets for alternative power connection. The bag’s fabric is made from recycled PET (or soda bottles), making it not just tough and water resistant but a total eco-friendly product.
15. Solar Underground Pest Deterrent
The Solar Underground Pest Deterrent is definitely an avid gardener and environment-friendly one dream product. This cost-efficient device won’t harm the environment in any way since it comes with a built-in solar panel. Made of waterproof anodized aluminum spikes, it emits sonic vibrations every 30 seconds that irritate burrowing pests, including moles, voles and gophers, and compel them to disperse.
With 4 sq. inch solar panel, it charges an integrated battery during the day even in low light and overcast conditions enabling the device to operate both day and night. It only needs three hours of full sunlight conditions to fully charge the battery which can operate for up to eight hours. This device is not only eco-friendly but also saves you a lot of garden-worries because you never know what kind of underground pests you’re going to run into.
16.Powerfilm Solar Blanket
Designed for users who need lightweight and portable power for laptop, mobile and satellite phones, GPS units and other handheld device, Powerfilm Foldable Solar Blanket can handle almost any charging need. Chargers can be combined with standard Powerfilm accessories for even more applications. Because of its thin flexible solar panels, the foldaway solar charger is very lightweight and compact yet extremely powerful. It is designed to be UV and weather resistant to handle diverse environment.
Powerfilm Solar Blanket is not just your ordinary portable solar charger. It operates at 15.4 V and powers up to 60 Watts making it a perfect companion for the world class mountaineers on their trek to Mount Everest. With their behind the scenes video they showed how the portable solar charger keeps their MacBook Pro powered up in the absence of electricity.
17. Solar-powered Game Handheld
Solar MP4 is not just an ordinary mobile media device which plays MP3, WMV and MP4 files but it also does what every child-at-heart is yearning – portable gaming. This powerful emulator can let you play from three classic Nintendo system - NES/Famicom, Gameboy and Gameboy Color titles, as long as the ROMs are placed in an SD card. You can forget spending a lot on batteries because it has solar panels which charge the handheld with sunlight exposure to play up to 4 hours from a complete charge.
It features 3.5 color display and 2GB built-in memory with an SD slot for expandable storage. Aside from its gaming capability, this handheld beast can also store E-books (which it can read aloud to you), voice recorder and a built-in LED flashlight. And the best part is – it has USB port which can be used to share the power, collected from solar charging, to other handheld device. For only $120, this portable total media device is perfect for a Nintendo-loving outdoors man.
No comments:
Post a Comment