A unit that harnesses human-generated energy to provide power for electronic devices has won a local company international acclaim.
South African product design consultancy, Industrial Design Solutions (Ideso), has become the fourth local company in 57 years to walk away with the Red Dot "Best of the Best" design award for its transportable PowerPac invention.
The contraption stores human energy - generated during cycling - for later use, for charging and providing power to household and personal electronic devices.
Established in 1955, the Singapore-based Red Dot awards recognises world-class design achievements and is one of the world's most sought-after international seals of design quality.
World first
Ideso says, while human power generation and storage is not new, PowerPac is the world's first product to offer a removable power storage unit that becomes a portable charging unit for use anywhere in the home or office.
Ideso MD Marc Ruwiel says the company's aim was to create an aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly and functional design that marries the fluidity of cycling with dynamic power generation. "It can be used by avid cyclists who can reduce CO2 emissions and generate their own electrical power, while enjoying a good workout at home."
Ruwiel says an average cyclist could fully charge the battery from empty with 80 minutes of cycling, and 132Wh (watt hours) of charge or potential energy can be stored in the battery, which can be used to fully charge or power an iPhone, power tool, PC, tablet or camera - for example.
The PowerPac features two housings to contain the required components. The larger housing is split into a front and back cover that contains the permanent magnet DC generator and the charge controller. The smaller battery housing is split into a top and base cover, and contains the 12V battery with a capacity of 11Ah, a DC to AC inverter, and various energy output options: 220V AC (conventional plug), 12 DC (cigarette lighter) and 5V DC (USB).
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