Students Design Inflatable Solar Light For Disaster Relief
- Nov 16, 2011 2:37 PM EST
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When natural disasters strike victims are often left without many necessities, such as food, shelter, and light. A group of graduate students from Columbia University has decided to tackle at least one of these problems by designing a solar power light specifically for disaster relief scenarios.
Called the LuminAid, the light consists of a waterproof outer shell complete with a dot-matrix design used to diffuse light, as well as a thin solar panel, two rechargeable batteries, an LED light, and an inflatable core. The LuminAid can provide five hours of light and takes six hours to charge.
The inflatable design allows the light to float in water, but also makes it easier to ship, as it takes up very little space when uninflated.
"Sustainable lighting solutions, including photovoltaic cells coupled to rechargeable batteries, are an ideal approach to providing on-demand lighting with no operating cost," the LuminAid website reads.
"However, current solar-charged light solutions are expensive and difficult to manufacture and transport. This makes them unattractive for large-scale deployment. The LuminAid solar light addresses these issues while providing a useful and portable form of light for disaster victims."
The lights are expected to be used in places like Haiti and Pakistan.