Pedal Power: Students Develop Bicycle-Powered Mobile Phone Charger

Two resourceful students from the University of Nairobi have developed a “dynamo-powered smart charger.” 

Jeremiah Murimi and Pascal Katana, both engineering students, designed the smart charger to help those without electricity in rural areas of Kenya. Mostly made from electronic bits and pieces found at a junk yard, the device can fully charge a mobile phone from energy generated by pedaling a bicycle for one hour.

Bicycles in Kenya are sold with a dynamo permanently attached to the rear wheel, which powers the bicycle’s light. But instead of powering the light, the dynamo will connect to the smart charger. Dynamos, which do not require batteries, are generators that are available in a variety of styles. Hub dynamos attach to the front or rear bicycle hub and produce alternating current when the bike is in motion.

It is estimated 17.5 million people in Kenya are mobile phone users, according to a report by the BBC.  And because many people in rural areas do not have access to electricity, many travel by bike to other locations in order to charge their devices. The two students, familiar with village life, hope the device will be mass-marketed, which will help people charge their phones cheaply. The charger is a simple, affordable eco-friendly cell phone charger made out of recycled materials and is small enough to fit in your pocket. The affordable chargers will be sold for less than $5 each.

Although other similar devices are available in other countries, the smart charger developed by the two students is an affordable alternative for those in rural areas of Kenya who do not have reliable access to electricity.  PedalPower+, is another device that uses the power of a bike pedal to charge electronic devices including digital cameras, cell phones and iPods.  PedalPower+, available now, attaches to the bike’s dynamo but also includes a small solar panel.   

Reducing our dependence on energy while getting in a little exercise at the same time, is truly pedal power at its finest!

Photo by Dan Shirley on Stock XChng.