Source: treehugger.com
Published: December 18, 2013
© Uncharted Play
Harnessing the kinetic energy of people and objects in motion, and converting it to electricity, is one of the latest innovations in offgrid and renewable power, and we’ve already seen variations on that kinetic energy theme, such as merry-go-rounds used for power production, shoes that generate electricity, kinetic sidewalks, a kinetic energy harvesting stick, rumble strips that harvest power from the cars driving over them, and a soccer ball that generates electricity from play.
But a new device, from the people that brought us the Soccket, aims to harvest the energy of kids at play by converting the kinetic energy from jumping rope into electricity.
The PULSE jump rope from Uncharted Play, which is currently in a limited beta release of 100 of the devices, uses the spinning rope to generate an electrical charge in the handle. This power is then stored for later use, in order to charge lights, cell phones, or other small devices.
“The PULSE harnesses kinetic energy from play and converts it into electrical energy that can be used to power small appliances. Using the adaptor that comes with each PULSE, minutes of play can provide hours of power, and even charge your cell phone!”
These first 100 PULSE jump ropes are available from Uncharted Play for $129, and each purchase supports the mission of the organization by helping to expand the reach of their renewable power initiatives and STEM education curriculum. The company hopes to be able to bring down the cost of these power producing jump ropes so that they are more affordable for people in the developing world.