The power of the purse has a whole new meaning. No more flat batteries on your cell phone or iPod or other electronic widget. Here is an emergency charger at your fingertips – literally!
Recent designs include two solar-powered purses and a solar-powered satchel, which can be charged direct from sunlight, once taken outside.
The Power Purse - Charging Your Phone or iPod
Nicknamed the "Power Purse", this black fashionable-looking rectangular handbag, (similar in shape to a clutch purse) is the brainchild of Joe Hynek, a mechanical engineering student, who designed the bag in 2005, for a competition at Iowa State University.
The purse uses laminated solar panels of photovoltaic film to convert sunlight to electricity. It has clear plastic handles and is covered, all around, in the solar panels. Due to its fashionable styling, the Power Purse is chic enough to take on a night out on the town.
Featured in the Daily Mail’s online article "The Power Handbag," of 5 August 2008, the purse needs to be exposed to 2 hours of sunlight in order to fully charge a mobile phone battery. There is a USB port which protrudes through the bags lining, which is connected to the batteries. Electronic gadgetry can then be attached directly to the USB port, or by using an adaptor. The purse’s fully charged battery can last for up to a month.
The Power Purse's current price tag is $300 (£150), and is featured on Hynek's website, Solarjo.com. It is likely to be available for purchase by the end of 2008.
The Sun Trap – Lighting Up Your Life
Another solar-powered purse, this time, one that lights-up the contents of your handbag, has been invented by Rosanna Kilfedder, a student of the UK’s Brunel University. Dubbed the "Sun Trap,” solar energy is stored in an internal battery, which illuminates the lining of the purse, making it easier to find keys, money and other personal items. The battery can also be used as an emergency charger for a cell phone
After watching her friends fumble around in their purses, Ms Kilfedder hit upon the idea of an illuminated lining. According to the BBC News’ article “Solar Handbag Lights Up Contents’, of 26 September 2005, the lining is made from an electroluminescent material similar to that found in mobile phones and is lit up by the bag's zip which acts as a switch. The bag goes dark when the zip is closed or after 15 seconds if it is accidentally left open.
The bag’s solar-powered battery is topped-up every time it is taken outside, so there is no need for conventional charging. However it can be charged from the mains if required.
The Sun Trap provides an element of safety for women, as it makes it easier to find house keys etc rather than frantically searching in the dark, on a doorstep or in a car park etc. The bag design has already won a competition at the university, with the Brunel Enterprise Center helping students to develop their ideas commercially. Ms Kilfedder is has applied for a patent, therefore, the Sun Trap may eventually be sold online or in high street stores.
The Solar Powered Satchel
The perfect gift for the businessman or woman who has everything. Noon Solar, an eco-minded luggage company has come up with a fashionable, Indian Jones-esque satchel that is capable of charging a cell phone or iPod, or other similar devices. The Logan leather satchel is built to last and has naturally-dyed cotton and hemp detailing.
The latest in Noon Solar’s Fall Collection, Noon's Logan satchel has a weather-proof solar panel, and so can face inward or outward. Priced at $452, charging time is around 6-8 hours. Other solar-powered bags in the collection include the Oakley oversized tote ($404), big enough to carry everything but the kitchen sink. You can find the full range at Noonsolar's website.
Images courtesy of Noon Solar
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