German Bicycle Charges Phones With Pedal Power
18.05.12
Silverback, started in 2004, unveiled a new line of products called the "Starke." The bikes include two models built with the same dynamo technology used to illuminate a bike headlight by harnessing rider energy. Silverback's cycles connect a similar dynamo to a USB port, enabling cyclists to charge a smartphone with every push of the pedals.
As more people use smartphones for battery-draining activities such as watching videos, surfing the Web and playing games, dead batteries and short battery life are increasing annoyances. Solutions such as Silverback's bicycle charger may provide an option for charging devices when users aren't near an electrical outlet.
They also may appeal to environmentally conscious consumers, who might enjoy the ability to power up a device while doing an eco-friendly activity like bicycling and without tapping into the electrical grid.
Other green cell phone charging possibilities have debuted this year, including a transparent screen coating allowing devices to get energy from the sun's rays and a shoe insert that generates electrical energy from people's footsteps, charging cell phones while they walk.
Source: Mobiledia