Cooler Planet

Summer is almost here.  The longer days and, hopefully, sunny weather makes it a good time to test some of the solar gadgets out there.  All you bikers (bicycle or motor), runners, and beach-goers might want to try the HYmini or miniSOLAR panel.  These devices use the wind or sun to charge your cell phone and other handheld products.  So while you’re biking, you can capture the wind; or capture the sun while you lie on the beach and keep your Nintendo DX or iPod working all day long. 

Solar aficionados and iPod lovers may be pleased to hear that Apple Computer recently filed a patent to place solar panels behind the LCD screen of its portable devices.  MacRumors.com reports that Apple’s innovation would allow the photovoltaic cells to absorb the light that passes through a LCD screen thereby eliminating any additional space or equipment that solar panels now need to recharge batteries of any type.  Ecogeek.org says that the cells would cover the entire device.  They also points out that Motorola has filed a similar type of patent, but did not know how closely the two patents are related.  How long before Apple launches its next way-cool gadget?  Neither reporter knows.

Could we someday have a fabric that could power our cell phones and MP3 players?  Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology hope so.  Yong Qin, Xudong Wang and Zhong Lin Wang are developing a fabric embedded with piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowires to create a nanogenerator within our clothes.  These minute generators could create electricity from our own body movements. 

Their article, published in the February 13 edition of the journal Nature, describes how by coating half of the zinc oxide wires with gold the fabric’s embedded wires can then convert physical movement into electricity.  Evidently, the gold plating enables the microscopic wires to act as an electrode so that when the “charged” wires contact the non-gold plated wire an electric current can run through the fabric.  Their research has also demonstrated that the microscopic wires must be arranged similar to a bottle-brush as opposed to another type of alignment. 

All is not perfect, however.  Though the scientists have added a polymer layer to prevent the zinc oxide from wearing away, the research team must still figure out how prevent the zinc oxide from degrading when wet.  It wouldn’t do to power your cell phone in clothes that cannot be laundered. 

Here are a couple of last minute gift ideas for anyone who likes to travel or spend time outdoors.  SteriPEN, a lightweight and portable water purifier, has introduced a solar powered charging case to recharge the pen’s batteries.  The “pen” uses ultraviolet light to kill waterborne microbes and create safe drinking water.  www.hydro-photon.com

If purified water isn’t your need, perhaps you’d be interested in combining water and light in another way.  SolLight has created the LightCap, an all-in-one solar powered light and water bottle.  It’s always helpful when you’re traveling to have items that can serve more than one purpose.  Nice to know some of those nifty gadgets exist.     www.sollight.com 

Need another gift idea? A solar backpack or messenger bag might do the trick. Not only can you carry your stuff, but also charge your cell phone, camera, or MP3 player on the go. Voltaic Systems makes bags that include three, waterproof and tough solar photovoltaic panels embedded on the lid of the bag which can capture 4-watts of power from the sun. That should keep your portable device charged. Voltaic Systems products include a battery pack to store any excess energy your bag’s panel may generate.

Eclipse Solar Gear also offers a selection of solar-charging bags for our active lifestyles. In addition to backpacks, Eclipse offers messenger bags, bicycle paniers, fish tackle bags, and soft coolers. Juice Bags by Reware are another cool option. Juice Bags come in a variety of messenger bag and backpack styles. These bags trickle-charge your gear via a cigarette lighter adapter. All the products are weather-resistant and capture the sun’s rays even on cloudy days.

May as well try to keep the planet cool no matter where you go or what you do. . .

Multiple portable chargers exist that can charge your AA or AAA batteries.  You can also charge your cell phone or MP3 player by the sun.  The chargers range in price from $40 to $100+ and are readily available in stores such as REI, EMS, and Target.  Manufacturers include Brunton, Solio, and iSol, 

What a cool way to keep your small electronics and batteries working whether on a hike, hanging on the beach, or traveling to a distant land!

There’s a plethora of solar powered toys on the market these days.  The crafty toymaker Klutz offers a solar-powered car kit, and there are some fun solar robots out there from Robotikits. 

One of the coolest kits I’ve seen comes from the United Kingdom — a Lego-like solar powered helicopter.  Though it won’t actually fly once it’s assembled, the rotors do turn.  Plus once you’ve had your fill of the helicopter, you can use the Lego-compatible rotor blade and motor to power your own creation.   Check out:  www.outdoorgb.com/solar_lego_style_helicopter/