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Posts Tagged “Solar powered”

tilt-rotor

Falx Promises Private Tilt-Rotor Aircraft. Verdict: Improbable

This small V-22 Osprey lookalike looks like a sleek and sexy machine, doesn't it? The Falx Salker is a VTOL aircraft and is designed to be a hybrid electric vehicle, with solar energy augmenting the 100hp engine to achieve a fuel efficiency of 10 liters per hour of flight. According to their website, Falx Air Vehicles is "set to release its first 100% scale platform during 2008 leading to certification during the next 3 years." More »

1:20 PM on Tue Apr 29 2008
By Kit Eaton
6,408 views, 55 comments

Latest by Purple Dave: @uberfu: Remember. If you're below someone who's flying one of these, you _ARE_ the herd. @froggy: They haven't yet. Why would they start when given something more complicated? The only reason that people manage to keep cars on the road is more »

hats

2CLight Hat: Solar-Powered Handsfree Lighting at Night

At first glance at the 2CLight cap you'd think "oh come on... who'd use that?" — but then you'd think about fishermen and other outdoorsy-types who'd benefit from some hands-free lighting, and maybe you'd reconsider. Its flexible solar cell charges a small battery up during the day, and gives out about 2 hours of max-brightness from the twin LEDs in the brim, or 36 hours at low setting. According to the website blurb it's "not a cap with lights," ohoho no: it's a "tightly integrated, highly advanced, microprocessor controlled solar lighting technology" system. Hmm. So, this cap with lights is available in three color schemes for $35. [2CLight via Talk2MyShirt]

12:40 PM on Mon Apr 28 2008
By Kit Eaton
2,796 views, 9 comments

Latest by SeventhExile: replace the lights with infrared LED's and now you have a nice protective mask from most cctv's.. more »

solar

Sungevity Web App Makes Installing Solar Panels a Piece of Cake

Eco start-up company Sungevity is launching a new web application on Earth Day (three days away, people!) that will take the guess work out of solar panel installations. Enter your address on Sungevity's website and satellite-imaging software will zoom in on your home, calculate your roof's dimensions, select the right sized solar arrays and calculate how much money you'll save on energy costs. More »

4:30 PM on Sat Apr 19 2008
By Elaine Chow
15,235 views, 28 comments

lighting

Giant Chandelier Harnesses The Sun's Power For Electricity and Color-Changing Abilities

This chandelier design by Christoph Klemmt is truly the superhero of lighting fixtures. Besides the obvious aesthetic qualities, the segments that make up the structure itself gradually change from clear to brightly colored when struck by direct sunlight. It also gathers the power from the sun's rays and uses it to illuminate the LEDs scattered along the surface. The piece is currently on exhibit at the Milan furniture fair 2008, so I highly doubt that it will be available to place in your garden anytime soon. And even if it was, you probably couldn't afford it. Additional pic after the break. More »

2:20 PM on Fri Apr 18 2008
By Sean Fallon
3,670 views, 13 comments

Latest by Kendra: This is actually a rip off of a "rainwater tank" they developed in Australia. The tank sits on the roof with the cone shape in the middle of your room, cooling it during the summer and filling your showers with more »

brando

Brando's Jaw-Tastic Solar Charger Will Power All Your Gizmos

This mashup from Brando takes some of Thanko's electric vampire universal charger idea and the "survival" solar charger and mixes them into one multi-purpose device. Its adjustable contact teeth mean its jaw can grab onto and charge a wide range of batteries, it's got a set of adaptors to suit different cellphones and has a USB output for your iPod and the like. Better yet, you can charge up its 1,350 mAh internal battery up by sunlight, USB or AC adapter. Basically you'll never be without a source of power for your gadgets. And it's got an LED torch. Is there a better power gizmo out there? [Brando]

6:30 AM on Wed Apr 16 2008
By Kit Eaton
3,141 views, 11 comments

Latest by TOWken22: The two "teeth" underneath the clip can be positioned at varying widths so it can accommodate just about any rechargeable battery by clamping down on its contact points. more »

multitool

Solar Powered Music, Fake Detection and Flashlight in One

I love this weird combo, multi-tool gadget: it's a mashup between the Solar Phone Charger and the great 5-in-1 Pen. It's got a solar cell to top up your gadgets with juice (USB connector, or cellphone adaptors), a UV note-checker, LED flashlight and, best of all, an FM radio. Why not an MP3 player? Where's the tool for getting stones out of a horse's hoof? Nope, just an FM radio. At least we have this reassurance "Security guarantee: There is not any danger to use." Yours for $45.99. [GizFever via RedFerret]

7:09 AM on Fri Mar 28 2008
By Kit Eaton
1,405 views, 4 comments

Latest by rimshot515: meh, i got one of these for free at a convention last summer. more »

concept

Dyson Concept Updates the Clothesline: It's Raining Pants

The new "air-line" concept from student designer Daniel Fitzgerald and Dyson offers an eco-friendly and space-saving solution to drying your clothes thanks to a design that functions using the movement of air along with solar heat. In other words, it is a solar-powered clothesline. The one big technological development comes in the form of intelligent sensors that precisely dry your clothes and stop the flow of naturally heated air when the moisture content in the clothes reaches zero. So, theoretically, your clothes should stay nicer longer. UPDATE: Dyson is not officially involved with this concept, they merely affiliate with the group who holds the Australian Design Awards. More »

6:50 PM on Tue Feb 12 2008
By Sean Fallon
5,084 views, 17 comments

Latest by Razta: Is it just me? I have no idea where your clothes go? Inside that thingmabob? more »

vapor or solid?

Solar-Powered Laptop-Charging MediaStreet eMotion Media Player Allegedly Shipping (and Cheap)

It looks like a concept—in fact, the only pictures we have of it are fancy 3D renderings doctored up in Photoshop. But according to the press release (after the jump), MediaStreet's 1GB eMotion solar-powered portable media player is already shipping for $169. That's a lot for a typical 1-gig audio-video player, but when you consider that this device can, according to claims, provide power for "most portable devices such as mobile phones, MP3/MP4 players, laptops, digital cameras" and presumably itself, it's chump change. In addition, the unit claims to offer Nintendo and Game Boy emulation via SD card so even when you're in the sun you can act like you're indoors. We'll get to the bottom of this, hopefully getting a review sample in, but in the meantime, have a closer look and feel free to stretch your skeptic muscles. More »

4:35 PM on Mon Jan 14 2008
By Wilson Rothman
4,139 views, 2 comments

Latest by oldbenway: Got mine in the mail ten days after I ordered it, what's up with the skepticism? This thing is crazy, plays NES, GBA and Sega roms; divx movies (even supports subtitles! Anime fans rejoice--); my only gripe, you can't really play more »

fly away

Video: Solid-State Aircraft Flaps Its Wings Like a Bird

If you can get past the annoying voiceover (sorry, Ecogeek) then this video showing off Ohio Aerospace Institute NASA's solid-state aircraft concept is pretty cool. They're engineless, solar-powered and somewhat creepily resemble the mass production Evangelion units in flight, so it'd be sweet if these puppies (birds?) ever saw the light of day to make our jet-setting ways a little less harmful to the environment. I just hope they have a space-age barf bag to go with it. – Matt Buchanan More »

3:45 PM on Sun May 20 2007
By Matt Buchanan
5,602 views, 39 comments

Latest by n/a: I thought that the video was interesting, and I really didn't think that the voice-over was THAT bad. In fact, I found it rather entertaining. more »

nerdmodo

Soltronix AM/FM Solar Headset Makes the Sun its Slave

We were completely unaware that they were still innovating on the AM/FM headphone combo. Weren't they all rounded up and sent to Radio Shack Hell next to the metal detectors? It looks like Soltronix didn't get that memo. More »

5:20 PM on Mon May 7 2007
By blongo3
778 views, 3 comments

gadgets

Wireless Outdoor Solar Speaker

In honor of the recent Earth Day festivities, here is a great speaker to add to your repertoire of outdoor entertainment activities. The speaker can wirelessly play (up to 150 feet) from a beacon attached to a media player. Even better is that it recharges with the help of the sun's happy rays of light. $200. More »

8:30 PM on Tue Apr 24 2007
By Travis Hudson
5,014 views, 9 comments

gadgets

Solar-powered Air Conditioner Keeps You Cool During Blackouts

Summer's just 2 months away, and what better way to keep cool than with SolCool's solar-powered air conditioner, the Millenia. Theoretically, it makes sense. Not only will it help cut down your electric bill, but it'll keep you cool even when the lights go out. And should the blackout occur at night, the AC can run off back-up batteries that last for up to 24 hours. The unit is set to come out next month for just under $3,000 (plus $500 installation). Now if only they could team up with LG to get rid of the AC's recycle bin look. – Louis Ramirez More »

10:40 AM on Wed Mar 21 2007
By Louis Ramirez
7,356 views, 7 comments

Latest by Hello_Newman: This isn't going to work except maybe one time every 3 years, just get a generator. Keeping frozen ice packs in the freezer all the time will go a long way during blackouts. As a Florida resident who has done more »

gadgets

Power Purse: Designer Handbag Powers Gadgets, Questions Your Manhood

Gadget loving ladies and secure men with an eye for designer fashion and a love of gadgets might find the Power Purse as useful as it is stylish. This solar powered bag is completely covered in mini solar panels that can draw power from the sunlight. There is an internal built-in USB port for charging your cell phone or other favorite mobile devices without the need for carrying around all those pesky chargers. More »

12:37 PM on Thu Mar 1 2007
By www.gizmodo.com
2,282 views, 10 comments

gadgets

SlimStar 820 Pleases Mother Nature with First Solar-powered Keyboard

If you thought hybrids were just for cars, guess again. Genius has created the first solar-powered keyboard and mouse hybrid. The wireless keyboard has a built-in solar panel that draws juice from surrounding light (there's also a back up USB cable charger for all you nocturnal Web surfers). Bundled with the keyboard is an 800dpi mouse, which defeats the purpose of the keyboard by relying on 4 AA batteries for its power. But hey, at least the batteries are claimed to last 15 months. – Louis Ramirez More »

12:58 PM on Tue Feb 6 2007
By Louis Ramirez
400 views, 7 comments

Latest by Hello_Newman: This is unreal how something can go into production and nobody points out you're not going to save money, and the mouse uses um, those electricky thingamabobs to power it. Plus a mouse and keyboard is too personal a decision more »

gadgets

Solar Powered Wireless Speakers

Hope you've got plenty of light if you want to run these wireless, solar powered speakers. (Alternatively, you can just plug them in, but where's the fun in that?) The speakers themselves are rated to have a 5-watt power output, so don't expect to be turning them up to 11 any time soon. That said, the wireless is supposed to have a range of up to 50 meters (164 feet in real measurement terms), so this isn't a complete gimmicky piece of garbage. The speakers are also encased in a weatherproof exoskeleton of doom, so they can safely be used outdoors for the most part. More »

9:58 AM on Mon Sep 25 2006
By Gizloco
546 views, Comment

wireless

Solar-Powered Wi-Fi

The $100 laptop project is making waves in lesser-developed countries, but what about Internet access? Come on, even the poorest folks enjoy sick fetish porn from time to time. Enter Green Wi-Fi. This is a non-profit organization that is seeking to provide wireless internet access to poorer countries. These access points are simply a solar panel, battery and a router that is linked up to a big wireless network. These nodes run for approximately $200, which is considerably cheap given all of the components involved. Green Wi-Fi is set to launch in India this summer. – Travis Hudson More »

12:10 PM on Thu Aug 3 2006
By Travis Hudson
835 views, 6 comments

Latest by wayan: This is to be an enhacement to the OLPC mesh, the long range connection. Still, it could create Internet bandwidth issues with downstream users http://www.olpcnews. more »

technology

Solar Powered Beer Cooling ... Huh?

Doesn't make that much sense, but according to the researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, this is a possibility. The researchers are creating a thin-film solar power technology that can stick to all kinds of surfaces, including beer bottles. This technology will be capable of shrinking solar panels to micrometer-thin tiles that could potentially replace climate-control systems, or in the most practical case: keep beer colder, longer. Works for me. Hopefully it doesn't increase the cost of beer that much, or I may be stuck drinking solar-powered Pabst Blue Ribbon. Ugh. – Travis Hudson More »

4:26 PM on Wed Jul 12 2006
By Travis Hudson
722 views, 8 comments

Latest by Phalc0n: Hear at RPI we drown our lack of women sorrows in alcohol. (doesn't really matter most of the guys are in their rooms playing WOW). more »

gadgets

Solar Powered Battery Charger

Out here in sunny California, people are always going out to the beach or the pool or the park. Not us though, we're inside blogging, just the way we like it. But even indoors, we can take advantage of this solar powered battery charger to fill up all our AA's. More »

6:42 PM on Fri May 19 2006
By Jason Chen
1,914 views, 3 comments