Skip to main content

This lamp runs 8 hours on just a glass of seawater


Rural areas in the Philippines with no access to electricity depend on candles, kerosene lamps or battery operated lanterns as common household light sources. But aside from being costly and inefficient, they are also dangerous to use. Now, thanks to Engr. Aisa Mijeno, a lamp that is totally safe, environmentally-friendly, and capable of emitting light on just a glass of salt water will soon brighten up these communities.

   Aisa was inspired to design the SALt lamp (SALt is a contraction of Sustainable Alternative Living) after living with the natives of Kalinga's Butbut tribe for days relying only on kerosene lamps and moonlight to do evening chores.

   So how does it work? As simple as it sounds, the lamp uses a solution of one glass of water mixed with two tablespoons of salt to provide 8 hours of light. It will even run off seawater. Oh, and did I mention that you can also charge your smartphone or tablet from the lamp?

   The device uses the same science that forms the basis of battery-making. In a typical battery, two metal electrodes are dipped into an electrolyte solution. In this case, the electrolyte is salt water. The electrode in the SALt lamp can last up to a year, depending on how often and long it is used.

   Currently in the development stage, the people behind the product aim to have the lamps mass produced later in the year. However, their main priority right now is to deliver the SALt lamps to their target communities.

[h/t: Inhabitat]

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A story about a duck who likes being different

The hilarious "Duckie Duck" by Kate Toms is one of my recommendations for kids learning to read. My son got this book from his aunt in Calgary a few years ago and since then has become one of his favorites. First of all, this is not your average duck tale. This is a story about a fowl who, candidly, seems to have missed the memo on duck protocol. Most ducks quack, but Duckie whistles. Others love to swim, but not him — Duckie likes boat rides. While other water birds fly, he enjoys floating inside a hot air balloon. The rhyming text and delightful hand-stitched illustrations make the book visually appealing to children. So, if you're looking for a book to teach your quirky little kids to read, "Duckie Duck" is just perfect.

The Adorable Sculptures of Yen Yen Lo

These images are from a series of wall sculptures created by Yen Yen Lo . Here you can see her intricately textured ceramic pieces, looking downright adorable. Yen Yen Lo's eye for the unique and whimsical is delightful. Apparently they are not intended for kids under 16. Fifteen-year-olds cannot be trusted with fragile stuff. Get them a Funko Pop instead.

Biking to School with Kids

I love biking to school with my children. It's a great way to start the day, and it's a lot of fun. Both of them have their own bicycles, meaning I'm basically herding two slightly erratic cyclists. My kids' two-wheelers are quite new and pretty decent. Mine is more like a rusty ten-speeder with a penchant for chain slippage. It's a cheap, rickety bike from China but it's my vehicle of choice for running errands, and honestly, it gets the job done. My youngest is still working on his steering. My eldest, on the other hand, is all about speed. She thinks she's in the Tour de France, so I'm constantly shouting, "Slow down!" Of course there are moments of near disaster. But you know what? Despite the mayhem, there's something undeniably satisfying about arriving at our destination, slightly out of breath, on our bikes. There are also moments of pure, unadulterated joy – like when we are pedaling along the street, the sun on our faces, the wind...