Eco Factor: Low-cost hand-powered charger.
From less than 10 million telephones a decade ago, India has grown to the second largest telecom market in the world. This telecommunication revolution is primarily dominated by wireless communication devices such as cellphones, which did connect thousands of rural Indian villages with the rest of the world.
However, since many rural villages in India still don’t have access to the electrical grid, recharging cellphones is a major problem. Mumbai-based company ideaForge is providing a sustainable solution, which is being touted to be the world’s first truly sustainable cellphone charger. Dubbed the Roto Charger, the device can be used to recharge cellphones by either cranking the handle or rolling the device on any surface.
Priced at Rs 350 (approx. $7), the device takes just one minute of rotation to provide three minutes of talktime and about 30 minutes of stand-by time. The company claims that the device is safe to be used for cellphones, as it only betters the battery life by providing lower charging currents.
Via: Technology Review
