Turning on lights with the flick of a switch is a luxury
most people don't ever question. But for the third of the world’s
population that lives off of main electrical grids, something as simple
as getting light can be a costly challenge.
To the rescue comes the GravityLight -- a simple, ingenious device that generates light without access to electricity.
The portable device doesn't have any batteries or require any fuel or cranking by hand. Instead, you hang the lamp on a wall and fill its attached bag with whatever heavy material is handy, such as rocks, dirt or sand. Then you simply lift the bag and let it go.
The weight slowly pulls a notched belt through a series of gears to drive a small motor, which powers an LED -- ambient or directed light, depending on what you need -- for about 30 minutes. It can even be used to power other low-voltage devices like radios or batteries.
The light will also have a positive impact on users’ health and the environment. In many poorer areas, the primary form of light is kerosene-powered lamps, which produce toxic fumes and trigger fires when the lamps tip over, causing severe burns.
For a struggling family, kerosene can also be costly. At a cost of only $10, Deciwatt says, the GravityLight would pay for itself in a few months.
Created by Martin Riddiford and Jim Reeves, GravityLight was inspired by a challenge by SolarAid, a charity that asked inventors to come up with an LED light to replace kerosene lanterns.
Riddiford and Reeves believe the lamp is just the beginning of what they’ll be able to accomplish with this simple, low-level power. It’s all part of their mission to do more with less.
Source: www.cnn.com
To the rescue comes the GravityLight -- a simple, ingenious device that generates light without access to electricity.
The portable device doesn't have any batteries or require any fuel or cranking by hand. Instead, you hang the lamp on a wall and fill its attached bag with whatever heavy material is handy, such as rocks, dirt or sand. Then you simply lift the bag and let it go.
The weight slowly pulls a notched belt through a series of gears to drive a small motor, which powers an LED -- ambient or directed light, depending on what you need -- for about 30 minutes. It can even be used to power other low-voltage devices like radios or batteries.
The light will also have a positive impact on users’ health and the environment. In many poorer areas, the primary form of light is kerosene-powered lamps, which produce toxic fumes and trigger fires when the lamps tip over, causing severe burns.
For a struggling family, kerosene can also be costly. At a cost of only $10, Deciwatt says, the GravityLight would pay for itself in a few months.
Created by Martin Riddiford and Jim Reeves, GravityLight was inspired by a challenge by SolarAid, a charity that asked inventors to come up with an LED light to replace kerosene lanterns.
Riddiford and Reeves believe the lamp is just the beginning of what they’ll be able to accomplish with this simple, low-level power. It’s all part of their mission to do more with less.
Source: www.cnn.com
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