Solar Gadgets

Grok Headline matches for Solar Gadgets

Solar-Powered Gadgets on the Move

Solar-Powered Gadgets on the Move 06/07/2004 06:01 AM
In the wilds or on the road, solar panels that fold into notebook-size cases are charging everything from laptop computers to cameras and Palm Pilots. But for some, a cell phone that works in the wilderness may not be a boon.

Solar to Keep Army on the Go

Solar to Keep Army on the Go 06/29/2004 05:45 AM
Seeking ways to keep troops more mobile and harder to detect, the U.S. military is leaning more and more on solar technology. By John Gartner.

Solar Pursuit

Solar Pursuit 04/10/2005 09:34 PM
Web Page

Solar Clock

Solar Clock 03/24/2005 07:55 AM
License Change

Solar Saga

Solar Saga 10/29/2003 08:15 PM
Design needs futher work

"Solar death ray"

"Solar death ray" 03/25/2005 11:36 AM

Solar Discord

Solar Discord 02/10/2004 06:40 PM
coding to begin soon

Yet Another Big Solar Flare

Yet Another Big Solar Flare 10/30/2003 03:48 PM
philthedrill writes "CNN is reporting that the sun has fired another large solar flare towards Earth. This one could arrive as early as Thursday (Oct. 30th) ...

solar deathray

solar deathray 03/23/2005 10:53 PM
solar deathray

The Solar Death Ray

The Solar Death Ray 03/23/2005 08:06 PM

Solar Style

Solar Style 12/22/2004 01:36 AM

I was writing a column this month and mentioned the upsweep of
solar-powered gear the last few months and my editor's editor (why do I love blogging again?) was all huh?. And yes, okay, solar power isn't anything new, but the new high-efficiency panels are really starting to happen, like this entire new 'Solar Style' line of gear called the 'PV Solar Chargers." You've got yer solar bag, yer flip-out notebook charger, ya gotcher cell phone case with a charger—this stuff is taking off.

The Solar style gear doesn't seem to be quite ready for retail yet, but you can order a 'sample kit' for 200 bucks, which I'm guessing includes a few different units to try out. The press release lists my arch-enemy AirWater Corporation, though, so these might be a force for evil. Be careful. (Thanks, Kelly!)

Press Release [Yahoo]

Solar Empire

Solar Empire 04/18/2004 10:53 PM
New release - 2.2 available

Solar Roller

Solar Roller 08/30/2004 10:33 AM
Dave Johnson: It's official. Roller is now my full time job. I just accepted a job with Sun Microsystems to "design, develop, and deploy the primary blogging system for Sun in conjunction with other engineers" and to evangelize blogging both inside and outside of Sun.

solar system

solar system 11/15/2003 09:57 AM
sola r system [note: requires anark plugin]

Three More Solar Flares

Three More Solar Flares 11/04/2003 02:27 PM
Evil Adrian writes "Space.com reports that the sun shot off three more solar flares on Monday. This is quite a historic period for solar activity." The article ...

Solar Death Ray

Solar Death Ray 03/22/2005 04:46 PM

Straight out of a (low-budget) Bond flick is the Solar Death Ray, a combination of particle board, 112 mirrors and, of course, Sol. Each of the mirrors are pointed towards one area, focusing the sun's rays onto a target easily heated up to 930-1100 degrees Fahrenheit. The project page contains bunches of science facts and enough instruction to build your own, Popular Science style. In all seriousness, though, watching it melt through some of the "targets" in their gallery is a bit disconcerting as I imagine hundreds of maladjusted youth attempting to build their own as an easy yet tragic way to score a new cat.

Project Page [SolarDeathRay via MAKE:Blog]

Update: Alexander reminds us that giant fresnel lenses are also affordable.

Solar sails

Solar sails 08/10/2004 08:03 PM
Space age origami. JAXA successfully launched and unfurled two solar sails in space.

Kyocera's New Solar Panel

Kyocera's New Solar Panel 08/04/2004 11:37 AM

The intern was disappointed to learn that this Japanese woman is not included with Kyocera's new solar panel (with the world's highest efficiency rating for mass produced solar cells). I didn't have the heart to tell him that we actually do receive review models with our review models -- screaming stacks of them, actually -- but that we feel he's just too young to see the prostitutional side of technology reviewing (the writers kneeling for the product companies, that is; the models we set free in a bucolic reserve).

Oh, and nevermind that these have a 15.7% conversion efficiency rating (That's the highest?) and will be followed up by cells with a 17.7% rating in 2005. Let us do the science talk, okay?

Read - Press Release (Japanese) [Kyocera via MYCOM PC Web]

Rulers of the solar system

Rulers of the solar system 01/16/2004 11:02 AM
Back to the archive, one tape at a time. A new old episode of previously missing Doctor Who has turned up. It's episode two of The Dalek Master Plan which means we've now got three of the twelve parts that make up that story. Nine to go... (a clip with lots of Daleks in can be seen here).

Solar Powered Wallpaper

Solar Powered Wallpaper 12/19/2004 03:01 PM

Treehugger points out an innovative student project from NYU that adds electroluminescent materials to wallpaper, hiding in the background as traditional design elements when there is ample ambient light, then releasing stored sunlight through glowing elements as the lights dim. A prototype will be shown at the Winter Show at the Tisch School of the Arts this Sunday and Monday.

Sol ar-Powered Wallpaper [Treehugger]

Hybrid Solar Lighting

Hybrid Solar Lighting 03/14/2005 06:02 PM

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which conducts all of its research in tuneful four part harmony, has developed a system that uses sunlight (I actually started to write 'solar-powered light') pumped down fiber-optic tubes to complement an integrated system of flourscent bulbs. When there's sufficient light outside, a sensor cuts the electric blubs, letting the light shine in. Obviously, piping light from roofs to fixtures is something that's best done when the buildings are actually built, but it's a great idea all the same.

Of course, they don't mention that the light snakes down around your throat as you sit in satori, attempting to harness the power of mind to expand your forehead real estate. (Thanks, Boo Boo Prime!)

Su nlight in a tube [World-Science]

Solar Charged Vibrator

Solar Charged Vibrator 08/18/2004 05:07 PM

MIRIAM BOON --You may all remember the USB-powered ten speed Matrix Vibe. Fondly remembering those crazy days of USB-powered-everything, I went digging for more alternative-powered sex toy hijinx. What I found was enough to make any geeky kinkster -- especially an environmentalist -- cream her panties.

Yes, the folks at California Exotic bring frequent campers and granola-munching hippies a solar rechargeable vibrator. Leave it for five hours in the sun (or under a lamp), and it's rarin' to go.

At first, all I could think was, "Dude. Solar powered vibrator." Eventually, however, skepticism set in. As a bona fide female with all the standard features, I'm keenly aware that choice of vibrator can be a matter of widely varying taste. What if you want to be environmentally friendly, but this vibe doesn't heat you up, so to speak?

No problem. Turns out there are tons of solar-powered battery chargers out there. For a similar price, you could be the proud owner of a solar charger instead. With its aid, you can harness the awesome power of the sun to power your favorite vibrators. After all, some QT with your favorite vibe is what the sun's power is really for, right?

And I suppose while you're at it, you could charge batteries for your other electronics too.

Read - Product Page (Mostly Work Safe) [Blowfish]

Solar Powered Toothbrush

Solar Powered Toothbrush 12/22/2004 01:36 AM

< img src="http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/solar_toothbrush.jpg" alt="solar_toothbrush.jpg image" width="119" height="200" class="right border"/>For those with pasty white gums, this Soladey solar-powered toothbrush will provide a loving bronzing that even George Hamilton's dentist will love. Or it will convert light into negative ions to attract positive ions from acidic dental plaque or something—it's Japanese; I hold myself to no accuracy. It's part of a selection of green hygiene products on Treehugger, including a prototype ceramic-bladed razor that wouldn't have needed sharping or replacement blades, but was rubbed out when it was discovered to allow cars to travel 200 miles on just a single gallon of gas.

T op Five - Personal Care [TreeHugger]

New Light on the Solar System

New Light on the Solar System 04/12/2004 12:52 AM

Barefoot Solar Engineers

Barefoot Solar Engineers 07/29/2004 01:40 PM
Barefoot Solar Engineers. India's Barefoot College teaches poor and illiterate women to build and maintain rural solar systems in areas with little or no electric supply. [Via WorldChanging.]

Intense Solar Flare

Intense Solar Flare 10/28/2003 11:08 PM
The largest solar flare of the current solar cycle shot off the sun earlier today. After the media latched on to what was predicted to be mostly a non-event last week (probably due to a NASA article released around the same time about a super spacestorm) , it's not making as much news this time. But you should pay attention this time. This could be the best and last chance for a lot of us farther south to see some auroras before the sun dives into solar minimum, assuming all the variables line up correctly this time. I recommend watching the Solar Terrestrial Dispatch, as it is a great all around resource for solar activity and auroras that includes live data and sightings reports by the general public. Unfortunately though, no doubt as word IS spreading, that site is being hammered again and may be quite slow.

KSol Solar Cooker

KSol Solar Cooker 06/22/2005 01:57 AM

The sun can be a harsh mistress, stealing our fluids and destroying our livelihood with her evil rays. But she can also make coffee for 10 people in 6 minutes. The KSol solar cooker, which looks like a cool radar dish, costs a little less than $200 and focuses the sun's rays onto foodstuffs for cooking and eventual human consumption.

While this think can't beat a shank steak cooker over a burning trash can, the KSol seems like a nice way to keep the park, alley, or living room from smoking up during the family BBQ.

KSo l & Sun Cook: Cook With The Sun [Treehugger]

Solar-Hydrogen Eco-House

Solar-Hydrogen Eco-House 04/20/2004 03:23 PM

Elecciones abiertas en SoLAr

Elecciones abiertas en SoLAr 11/19/2003 08:01 AM

You gotta fight for your right to go
solar

You gotta fight for your right to go
solar 06/03/2004 09:18 AM
Kenneth and Gabrielle Adelman felt guilty about the fossil fuels their planes were consuming. So they decided to build a huge solar power system in their backyard. The local power utility was not amused.

Sloan Solar Faucet

Sloan Solar Faucet 06/22/2005 01:57 AM

Tired of all those old-fashioned sinks use "plumbing" and "pipes?" Sloan Valve has released a device for you! It is a solar powered faucet that works with ambient light. A built-in battery powers the automatic sensor that turns the water on and off. I mean we're getting into some Buck Rogers territory here, friends.

What better way to save the planet and avoid wrist overuse than with a solar powered automatic faucet.

New Solar Power Faucet by Sloan Valve [Treehugger]

Solar Storm to hit Earth about NOW!

Solar Storm to hit Earth about NOW! 10/29/2003 11:21 AM
While I was on an airplane and out of contact with the world for about 10 hours yesterday the sun...

Around the Solar System in an afternoon

Around the Solar System in an afternoon 06/20/2004 02:43 PM

« The pavilion where Uranus lives. »

A few weeks ago, Janne "Butt Ugly" Jalkanen mentioned a scale model of the Solar System in Helsinki which I hadn't ever heard about. I am, apparently, not alone in this as just about everyone I asked about it hadn't ever heard of it either, expat and native alike, which was rather surprising since it has been around since 1992. Jarkko found the Ursa Aurinkokunnan Malli website for me and I was fascinated by such magnificent nerd porn only a few kilometers away. :) After some prodding, he translated the directions for me and I rode the bus up to Pajamäki one afternoon with a map and my camera. Perhaps I'm just an easily entertained nerd, but this is the coolest thing since the MIT dome was adorned with a complete police car.

You can bicycle or walk around the model as a car tends to be rather cumbersome since the planets are situated in some out of the way places. The model was especially well placed for a long walk in the woods and around a few islands. Take a picnic and a big bottle of bug repellant. The Ursa pages frequently mention the visibility of the model of the Sun from the other planets but, maybe I'm getting old and going blind, unless you have x-ray vision or a pocket telescope it seems to be a bit of a stretch of the imagination.

Since I decided to make an English version of the pages, I also took the liberty to breathe a little love into the HTML and pictures since they've likely been the same for a decade. It's difficult to sex-up pictures of bits of metal atop grey concrete pillars, but I made an attempt anyway. The information guides have a really nice bicycling map with the locations of the planets, but I included one that I made since their map isn't available on-line. I moved the pages into XHTML 1.0 and kept much of the original design while bringing it into W3C compliance and added a few links and the navbar on the left. Jarkko did much of the translation, but I gave up torturing him and translated most of the guidemap texts at the bottom of the pages. I've got a tarball of it all which I'd like to offer to the Ursa folks if they're interested.

• The Scale Model of the Solar System
• A few extra photos and the rest in A Walk Around the Solar System

It seems a pity that such a neat installation should go so unnoticed, even when in plain view. I'd like to help replace Pluto and maybe get a day set aside during the dark months before the snow arrives where we can get dressed up as comets and ride around the model on our bikes, ending up at the Sun. The possibilities with day-glo, glo-sticks and battery powered lights could really make for a fun event. :) Bring back Pluto!

Solar Power In Suburbia

Solar Power In Suburbia 02/12/2004 05:58 AM
Solar power is one technology that has never lived up to the hype - especially for home use. However, a new trend is starting to spread where houses that generate solar power are no longer completely disconnecting from the power grid. Instead, they're staying connected and are getting a refund for all the solar power they generate, giving them the ability to continue to use electric power, if needed, but to use as much solar power as possible to reduce their bills. Still, the equipment remains pretty expensive, and it appears that solar power in the suburbs is still more of a status symbol thing than a reasonable bet for many users.

Spinach Solar Power

Spinach Solar Power 06/29/2004 03:53 PM

If Marc Baldo has his way, we might be using spinach to power our future gadgets. He and other at MIT have developed a process that isolates photosynthetic proteins from spinach and puts them between two layers of conducting material, causing a small electric current to be generated when light was shone on it -- the same proteins that form the chloroplasts inside the plant's leaves, which convert light into energy via photosynthesis. The biological solar cells aren't perfect, as they give up the ghost after around 21 days. Surprisingly, though, they're already hitting a 12 percent efficiency of conversion -- that's as good as many conventional solar cells today.

I predict the biological stability of the spinach cells will increase when married to a fixed solution of olive oil.
Read [Nature]

Notes and Tips: Solar Power?

Notes and Tips: Solar Power? 09/20/2004 10:43 AM
A reader is seeking advice and experience with solar power for Mac laptops.

Solar-Powered Plane to Fly Around the
World

Solar-Powered Plane to Fly Around the
World 12/28/2003 04:21 PM

Konarka to Acquire Solar Technology

Konarka to Acquire Solar Technology 09/06/2004 11:54 PM
Konarka Technologies is expected to announce that it has acquired from Siemens of Germany the technology to print power cells on flexible sheets of plastic.

The Solar Warrior Photovoltaic System

The Solar Warrior Photovoltaic System 01/19/2004 01:44 AM
http://www.solarwarrior.com/ Solar Powered BSD and Proud to be Microsoft Free, a Solar powered Web Server! You can check out the Meter to see, in real time, the power input/output. Also check out the info on their fight with thier local power co. Interesting stuff. None of this software was written to be a commercial product, and much of it is specific to the peculiarities of my configuration. I would be happy to share what I've done with other programmers familiar with FreeBSD and...
Grok Description matches for Solar Gadgets
GrokA matches for Solar Gadgets

Solar Gadgets

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