Blight

The sun provides us with energy every day. How can we use it directly for indoor applications? Blight is an optimal indoor lighting solution that is able to replace current lamps without any need of electric supply. With Blight we have not produced a new object; we have just created the design of an everlasting product: the Venetian blind. We use all the current functions of this object and add a little technology to give it a new function – to catch solar energy and convert it into electricity.

This solar blind creates a link between indoor and outdoor, taking the daylight during the day and giving it back at night. The advantage of the Venetian blind is to have a large surface exposed to sunlight in a small, cumbersome object. With the revolving blades we can follow the course of the sun in order to catch a maximum of energy. Moreover we can adjust the position of the lamp to obtain various lighting effects. The produced energy can be used to supply a computer or other devices, by means of an inverter.

The object will combine two newly-discovered technologies: Flexible solar cells, and electroluminescent foil which requires little energy. Blight is durable and ecological because power cables are not needed and solar power is clean. This improved Venetian blind could be used in the household as well as in office applications.

Zeer-FoodStorage

In Nigeria a simple device called a Zeer is used to store and cool food. It is incredibly simple yet effective method of refrigeration. A Zeer is made by placing one earthenware pot into another slightly larger earthenware pot. A layer of sand is placed in between the pots to which water is added. Then a damp cloth is placed on top of the pots. The water is drawn through the outer earthenware pot by capillary action. Evaporation of the water from the outside pot causes the temperature of the inside pot to naturally cool down.

A prototype was built to test if this simple method could be adapted for use in the modern kitchen. The results were positive establishing a temperature of around 10 degrees Celsius was attainable. Although this temperature is not suitable for storing foods such as meat and fish further research showed that it is perfect for a variety of fruit, vegetables and some other foods that are normally and incorrectly stored in a fridge or a cupboard. The project was then able to develop around consumer interaction, the overall aesthetic and the manufacturing restrictions of earthenware ceramic to create a new product solution that hopes to drastically reduce energy consumption required for storing food.

Wind-Helmet

Currently, green energy/battery rechargers appear to be one of the most intriguing greener gadgets, but they often have drawbacks. People who own a car can recharge their devices via lighter adaptor easily while driving to work, but people who ride motorbikes or bicycles to work may have difficulty. Although there are many green portable energy/battery rechargers on the market, they require cyclists or bikers to carry more equipment, reducing their convenience.

Wind-Helmet integrates the recharger into the safety helmet, allowing the cyclist and biker to carry fewer portable devices while at the same time providing a means for recharging their portable digital products (such as mobile phone, digital camera, MP3 player) while on the move.

The method of producing energy is similar to the modern windmill system, using wind to produce energy via the propeller and a motor embedded at the rear of the helmet. More energy will be stored in higher velocity rides. The helmet consists of a minimum of parts and components, and the top cover can be opened for necessary maintainance.

The Inlet-Outlet: Harnessing Energy from Everyday life

Nearly every room in our homes and offices has at least one electrical outlet from which we draw power for our gadgets and appliances. What if each of those outlets had an accompanying electrical “inlet” so that we not only drew power from the grid, but could also give some back? We already have solar and wind systems for homes, so why not extend this concept to all our habitable spaces through a system of integrated, easy-to-use plugs and inlets?

In addition to the inlet panels, adapter kits would be made available to easily convert common household products into energy-generating, inlet-ready devices. Applications include obvious kinetic sources such as exercise equipment, and emerging solutions such as cells that convert heat into energy. (Imagine a panel next to your oven or behind the refrigerator to capture the excess heat and convert it into electricity.) In more commercial settings, multiple inlets could be strategically placed. Your the local gym, for example, can become a mini-power plant by pairing each exercise bike to an electrical inlet.

Ultimately, the availability of an inlet panel/plug adapter kit system can encourage the development of new devices that harness energy to feed back into the grid.

Take-Away Sink

Whilst washing vegetables or cleaning the dishes we leave the tap open even though we do not need the water the whole time. Ordinary sinks make us lazy and add to the wastage of water. The “Take-Away Sink” is a flexible device that encourages the saving of water by enabling the re-usage of it. For example, Take-Away Sink offers the possibility to bring the nutritious water from cleaning vegetables to your plants without the need of an extra bucket. Further, it helps you to carry your laundry to the clothes horse after washing it by hand and there is no extra bucket that needs to be stored. (Often it’s too big for filling it conveniently in an ordinary kitchen sink anyway.)

The Take-Away Sink combines different components (like a swivel-mounted child step) which are movable, can rotate, or be removed to suit everyone’s requirements. The bucket rests on a slightly deepened base which can be used as a second sink when the bucket is removed. Consisting of spun aluminium, the sink is lightweight and therefore easy to carry; rubber handles add to the comfort.

RITI Printer

The RITI printer is an eco-friendly printer based on the concept of a new ink system. We focused on the ink cartridge since it is one of the problems when using a printer: it’s often difficult to replace, costly to refill, and can stain your hands if mishandled.

The RITI printer uses coffee or tea dregs. The user places the coffee or tea dregs into the ink case located on the top of the printer, then insert a piece of paper in the middle. Moving the ink case left and right will print your image, and as you draw on the paper, dregs inscript on the paper just like ink.

Using coffee or tea dregs as ink saves the cost buying ink, the burden of wasted things, and users’ work. Furthermore, since the user moves the ink case in order to make a print, the device doesn’t need electricity. Of course, you can smell a whisper of coffee or tea incense from the paper printed by RITI.

Use:

1. Insert a paper in the middle of the printer
2. Put the coffee or tea dregs into the ink case on the top of the printer
3. Move the ink case left and right as you draw on a paper
4. When the print finishes, pull out the paper from the printer and wash the ink case

Laundry POD

The Inspiration

While re-engineering and re-designing a salad spinner, we learned resourceful women were buying salad
spinners to wash their delicates. This sparked the idea that the salad spinner technology we innovated
could be used to create a portable, hand-powered laundry machine that would be far more appropriate
for the task, than a salad spinner.

The Result

The Laundry POD is perfect for the times you need to do a small load quickly but don’t want to waste
the energy or a trip to the Laundromat. It’s terrific for delicates and hand-washables. The spinning
action washes gently, rinses, and then extracts water to improve drying times.

The Benefits

– Eco-conscious
– No wasting of water and energy by using big machines for small loads
– Gray water can be re-used for watering plants, flushing, etc.
– Made from recycled materials
– Ideal for small “in-between” loads and delicates
– Can be used anywhere
– Saves trips to Laundromat and dry cleaner
– Big enough for a small load, but small enough for easy storage

The Laundry POD combines innovation and eco-conscious style to save energy, water and answer
the need for a quick, easy, eco-friendly way to do small loads.

Indoor Drying Rack

This is a sustainable, indoor drying rack for clothing. 96 million people in the United States live in apartments, most without access to a clothesline. 45 million of them do not have dryers in their apartment buildings. The typical clothes dryer is the 2nd largest energy consuming appliance in the home, costing an average of $85 a year to operate. Clotheslines are great, but many suburbs do not allow them, and they are only useful in warmer climates. Also, most females cannot dry their undergarments in a dryer, nor do they want to hang them outside for everyone to see.

Constructed of bamboo laminate and recycled aluminum, it can be recycled easily, and is constructed from sustainable materials. Bamboo is also naturally hypoallergenic and resists mold and mildew. Predrilled holes allow the user tweak the mounting location side to side while still hitting studs, and it ships flat for maximum energy savings. This indoor drying rack gives millions of people the choice to conserve energy while drying their clothes naturally and privately in their home. When not in use it folds out of the way and adds a modern touch to any interior.

Masdar: World’s First Zero-Carbon City

Masdar City, the world first zero-carbon city, will look strikingly different from today’s urban hubs. There will be no sky scrapers or cars. Instead, the city will consist of low-rises lined with solar panels to take advantage of the near-constant sunshine. It’s 50,000 residents will move around the 2.4 square miles of the city a series of transport pods which function much like horizontal elevators. Pedestrians will never be more than 600 feet from transportation and a light railway will transport people to and from Masdar and Abu Dhabi.

Charge Devices by Static Electricity

A design firm, Frog Design, is working on a clothing concept that is capable of sustainable charging without the need for batteries or plugging into a wall outlet.

Different from the wireless charging we’ve all seen , this concept utilizes the static electricity that is generated between clothing every day and ports it into gadgets.

Essentially the design involves conductive filaments to be weaved into the fabric that will slowly collect the static electricity and eventually discharge into a gadget or other electronic device. Frog design even went as far to suggest that the build up of electricity could be discharged on command and essentially create a superhero-style force field around the individual. This is a concept for now, but at least the designers out there are thinking about it.