EnviroGadget » Human Powered

Bicycle Powered Generator Concept

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:00:05 +0000

This Bicycle Powered Generator is a concept design by the designer Elizabeth Joy Wong for a way of converting kinetic energy into electrical energy for everyday use.

The Generator envisioned attaches to a bicycle, which is peddled to turn the wheels, which then spin a friction drum. This friction drum is then powering the alternator, creating electrical energy. The electrical energy will be then stored in a portable power pack so that it can be used to power many different small appliances.

The Bicycle Powered Generator makes use of some basic principles to turn your motion (kinetic energy) into electrical energy that can be used around the house. Though it will never be a lot of energy, the generator does allow you to replace some of your electrical needs with a sustainable source of power. Many households have exercise bikes within them, this concept should allow you to benefit not only physically from the exercise but also financially in savings. The concept generator would then help reduce a households reliance on unsustainable electricity sources, maybe giving you a warm glow from both being eco friendly and from the exercise!

Source: Designer Elizabeth Joy Wong

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Hand-powered Windup Mobile Phone Charger

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:40:56 +0000

The Hand-powered Windup Mobile Phone Charger is a perfect and affordable little gadget that allows you to top up your mobile phone using nothing but hand power. We’ve seen hand-powered chargers before, but this one stands out as it’s so cheap at just £5.99 (around $10) and it supports a number of mobile phones (sadly not the iPhone though).

The phone charger is really light and compact, and is able to give you 8 minutes of talk time with just 3.5 minutes of hand power (where you average at around two and a half turns per second). Counter-intuitively, it’s not the speed of cranking that determines how much talk time you get, but more the number of turns that you do. This is because the energy generated by a dynamo is directly proportional to the number of turns completed, rather than the speed of the magnet moving within the coil. However, the faster you go, the less time it will take to charge your phone!

The compatibility list includes (which is sadly a little short):

Nokia 3210/3310/3330/8210/8250
Motorola Star tac/cd920/930/928/V3688/V8088/V3690
Ericsson T28/T20/T29/T39M/T39/T60/T65/T68/R320/R310/R380/R300/R520m
Siemens C25/C35/C35i/M35/A35/A36/A40/SL45/S45/SL45i/SL42

For just £5.99, it’s a pretty neat gadget. However, I’m sure the lack of compatibility for the newest mobile phones will put people off.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Hand-powered Windup Mobile Phone Charger article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Crank-Power Active Trax Audio Player

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:00:15 +0000

The Active Trax Audio Player eco-gadget is an amplifier and FM radio that can charge up using solar power, hand power (via the handle) and good ol’ AC mains power. Using a 3.5mm audio jack, you can play your iPod or any other MP3 music player that has a standard headphone socket.

A single charge of the battery lasts for 7 hours, although it’s not clear how long you need to use hand power or the solar panel to achieve a full charge. It’s great for camping and being outdoors, a great way to break the silence if you’re feeling a little bored out in the open. What I really like is that the amplifier comes with its own case, perfect if you want to make sure it doesn’t get damaged during your travels.

Source: ChipTrick

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Crank-Power Active Trax Audio Player article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Hand Powered Eco Media Player Revolution

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:00:02 +0000

If you’re travelling anywhere, one of the most irritating situations is that your music player dies; the batteries have run out of juice. That’s why I like the Eco Media Player Revolution, as you charge it up by hand-power. Refreshingly for a media player, it fully supports major music formats including Apple AAC, Microsoft WMA, MP3, and OGG Vorbis.

The Revolution media player can also play a number of video formats, including MP4 (H.264) and Windows WMV. The internal memory can store up to 2000 songs on 4GB of memory, and you can add another 4GB via the SD card slot. You can even listen to and record FM radio on the Revolution media player too! I suggest finding out a little more about MP4 players on MP4 Player Reviews.

Rather strangely, it has an ebook reader. However, since the screen is so small, I have no idea how practical the makers think that is. At £130, it’s a little pricey compared to other media players, however, it is cheaper and more eco-friendly than an iPod Video.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Hand Powered Eco Media Player Revolution article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Hand-powered Penguin Torch for the Kids

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:00:28 +0000

Sometimes these eco-friendly gadgets do end up being a little odd, however, this is a green gadget focussed firmly on the kids. This is a hand-powered torch in the shape of a penguin.

Just like any other hand-powered torch, you charge the internal battery by squeezing the levers on the side of the torch. Just squeezing the torch for 1 minute will give 5 minutes of light from the super-bright LED.

What makes this great for kids is that you don’t have to worry about the cost of expensive batteries, as the torch doesn’t need any. If you have young children, you also don’t have to worry about them doing something silly with the batteries either. It’s a fun and eco-friendly gadget for the kids – a great way to get them more environmentally aware!

Source: Baby Gadget

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Hand-powered Penguin Torch for the Kids article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Piranha Dynamo and Rechargeable Shaver

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:00:17 +0000

It’s refreshing to find a hand-powered green gadget that’s actually useful, particularly with the Piranha Dynamo and Rechargeable Shaver. With just 1 minute of cranking, you get 80 seconds of shaving time. If you charge up the shaver via the mains, it would take 8 hours and give you around 60 minutes of shaving.

However, if you’re in the middle of nowhere, a hand-powered shaver is a pretty useful eco gadget. If the shaver had some kind of generic charging socket, you could use a solar panel too. However, standardised charging sockets are a long way off, but it’s a simple idea that might sell a whole lot more gadgets.

Source: TreeHugger

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Piranha Dynamo and Rechargeable Shaver article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Hand-Powered Mini Dynamo Massager Torch

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:00:49 +0000

Hand-powered torches have been around for ages. Essentially you repeatedly squeeze a lever that converts the linear motion into a rotational motion that drives a dynamo. The dynamo then charges an internal battery that allows the low-powered light (often LED-based) to light up for a few minutes or hours. However, the Mini Dynamo Massager Torch, rather bizarrely, adds a massage function!

The massaging torch will give roughly 3-4 minutes of massage after around 1 minute of cranking. I just wonder how much your hand will ache after cranking the torch for 1 minute! However, you get several minutes of lighting when cranking the torch to a full charge, how much time depends on how bright you set the light to. However, if you think you might need a massage in the middle of nowhere when you’re on your own, it might be useful!

Source: Coolest-Gadgets

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Dance Charge – Charge your phone whilst you dance

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:15 +0000

Orange have announced the release of an eco friendly gadget prototype, a charging device that is powered by movement or “dance energy”. The concept uses a collection of magnets and coils to generate electricity from movement; the same principle used by kinetic watches. The Dance Charge has been designed with summer festival revellers in mind, allowing the device to charge from movement such as dancing.

As the Dance Charge device moves, so do the magnets inside. If you remember from your physics classes, a magnet moving within a coil induces a current in the wires of the coil. This electrical current is then used to charge a battery or capacitor component. If you’re feeling brave, take a look at Faraday’s law of induction and Lorentz force for a more scientific explanation.

The device is packaged in a neat black neoprene strap which fits over the upper arm. It looks very similar to the arm bands designed to hold mp3 players for gym users and joggers. It only weighs 180g, so it’s not going to feel heavy or bulky on your arm.

Source: Pocket Lint

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Hand-powered Cranking MP3 Player

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:00:27 +0000

This intriguing little MP3 player is recharged from either a traditional USB connection or by hand. With just 60 seconds of cranking by hand, you get up to 10 minutes of power to play the music. If you’re in the middle of nowhere without a USB power source, it’s a great way to keep your batteries going and it’s good for the environment too.

The MP3 player measures just 75mm x 45mm x 34.5mm and features 1GB of internal storage for your favourite music tracks. 1GB is not a great deal really, especially when 8GB memory cards are just starting to come into the market. However, it is an eco-friendly gadget, and comes with a small flashlight too. A bit pricey at $61 (£30), but it’s nice to see something a little different in the music gadget world. I suggest finding out a little more about MP3 players at MP3 Player Reviews.

Source: Akihabara News

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