iYo Yo-Yo Charger for Power Without Solar and Wind
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 09.21.08
Image source: core77 and Peter Thuvander
More fun than the sun!
That is how Swedish designer Peter Thuvander is describing the yo-yo induction charger that he has dubbed the iYo. Even if Apple does come out with the patent-pending Solar iPhone, it won't do a lot of good during the long, dark Swedish winter. And hand-crank chargers are, well, just no fun. So Peter has come up with a better idea. Video over the fold.
A small Li-ion battery inside the yo-yo would build up a charge during play, so electrical gadgets could be plugged and charged afterwards. The iYo yo-yo phone charger targets iPhone and iPod -- unfortunately succumbing to one of the ungreen aspects of gadgets: every gadget has its own charger proliferating electrical and electronic waste (WEEE).
Kudos for thinking outside the box though. One more idea on the path to an alternate future.
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every gadget has its own charger proliferating electrical and electronic waste (WEEE)
Aside from the Apple logo, nothing about it appears to be iPod-specific. It looks like your basic USB charger, that'll charge anything that can be plugged into it. The only thing specific to iPod is the cable.
I've been told by several people (sarcastically) that if only we could find a way to harness the energy of little kids, we'd have abundant clean energy. Well, one step closer.
Love the design and the sentiment.
However, if this actually produces enough energy to charge an iPhone, I'll eat my Nokia.
Kinetic power is notoriously poor at producing serious amounts of electricity, which is why the main (only real) kinetic gadgets today are kinetic watches. Even the kinetic dancefloors at Club Watt and Bar Surya don't produce much energy (Watt admits as much).
Apologies -- have just read further elsewhere on this and realised that the power comes from magnets, a bit like these bike lights I reviewed for Hippyshopper years ago:
http://www.hippyshopper.com/2005/12/reviewed_goodby.html
I love this concept is it available for purchase as yet?