9 Products Powered by Unusual Means
9 Products Powered by Unusual Means
1. iBamboo Speaker
Who needs powerful, electric speakers
when you’ve got bamboo? These speakers are simply giant chunks of bamboo
that amplify sound. And forget bragging about vinyl -- the best part
about this product is telling your friends you listen to Yeezus on bamboo.
2. Bedol Water Clock
If you’ve ever pulled the plug on a
screaming alarm clock, only to show up to work an hour late, you aren't
alone. Bedol has you covered: It only requires water to run. Fill it up
every 8 to 12 weeks, and you’re good to go.
3. Citizen Eco-Drive
An oldie but goodie, the Citizen
Eco-Drive watch doesn’t require a battery or anything close to it. It
runs completely on any type of light. Cheapest power source ever.
4. Wind 'N Go Portable Lantern/Radio
Ever find yourself lost in a remote
jungle, only to realize that you forgot to pack batteries for your
lantern or radio? Probably not, but you'd want the Wind ‘N Go line with
you if such a situation happened to you. This product only requires you
to turn a crank in exchange for a bounty of light and radio power.
5. BioLite Campstove
We’ve long used fire for warming
ourselves and even for fueling large ships. But charging our cellphones
with fire is uncharted territory. Using only your campfire, this stove
can cook while charging your iPhone. This is definitely camping for the
21st century.
6. Traveling Tap
Forget gasoline-powered buses -- this
one requires the footwork of six to 10 people, who pedal (much like a
bicycle) to keep it moving. It contains a keg of beer as a bonus (the
driver and bartender, of course, do not drink). Though the one pictured
is in Minneapolis, many cities have similar offerings.
7. J3K Ionic Toothbrush
While anyone and everyone might have
battery-powered toothbrushes, most of us are used to using our hands.
This brush, though, utilizes the power of light to generate electrons,
which, when combined with water, create a chemical reaction that brushes
your teeth without toothpaste. No batteries? No toothpaste? No problem.
8. NoPoPo Battery
These hydro-electric batteries from
Aqua Power Japan run on liquid, powering your devices with iced tea,
Everclear or even your own urine.
9. TOTO’s Toilet Bike Neo
This one might be a could-have-been
product, as it no longer appears on TOTO’S official website. But a list
like this would be remiss if we didn’t remember the motorized tricycle
that ran on feces
in 2011. It trekked across Japan, so even if you can't run out and
purchase one right now, it’s good for all inventors to keep in mind that
this type of technology exists.
BONUS: The Alaskan Brewing Company’s Steam Boiler
What better product to fuel the
creation of beer than old beer? That’s what the Alaskan Brewing Company
thought, when it decided to use its wet or "spent" grain to create — you
guessed it — more beer. This may just prove the hypothesis that beer is
the greatest liquid on Earth.
The battery freed us from the power cord's limitations, just as gasoline freed us from the restrictiveness of our own two feet. But in the intervening years, we’ve learned how to derive energy from a number of more natural substances, including water, glass, wood and even our hands.
The gallery above includes a number of devices that can either propel us into the future or the past of energy derivation. Nevertheless, none of these products use traditional batteries or cords to power up.
The battery freed us from the power cord's limitations, just as gasoline freed us from the restrictiveness of our own two feet. But in the intervening years, we’ve learned how to derive energy from a number of more natural substances, including water, glass, wood and even our hands.
The gallery above includes a number of devices that can either propel us into the future or the past of energy derivation. Nevertheless, none of these products use traditional batteries or cords to power up.
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