Eco Factor: Solar suitcases to power medical equipment in impoverished villages.
Engineering students at Cosumnes Oaks High School in Elk Grove are working on a unique project that aims to save hundreds of lives in impoverished villages around the globe. The student team is designing a set of “Solar Suitcases” that can help power medical equipment in clinics with unreliable electricity.
The student team has completed two suitcases, with one bound for the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico. A study conducted last summer indicated that the risk of dying during childbirth in this community was one in 20, and the major cause was the unavailability of electricity to power lights and medical equipment.
The solar suitcase is designed to be plugged into a large solar panel, which costs about $450. The system can then offer immediate power and charges a 12V battery to provide electricity after dark, which can be used to power a variety of instruments used in rural hospitals.
Via: The Sacramento Bee
