LightDrops umbrella classes up your act, generates electricity
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Dec 15th 2008 9:43PM
posted Dec 15th 2008 9:43PM
The brainchild of designer Sang-Kyun Park, LightDrops is an umbrella that uses the piezoelectric effect of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to transform falling rain into electricity, which is then used to light LEDs installed on the umbrella's underside. The heavier the rain falls (and the harder it hits the umbrella), the brighter the light shines. Combine it with the solar tie, and who knows? This might someday become de rigueur for the stylish tech professional. Ella, ella, ella...
[Via StyleCrave]
[Via StyleCrave]
Ridley Scott called, and he wants his idea back!
The Blade Runner umbrellas had a light up shaft (Thinkgeek carries something like it: http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/9260/ )
what happens if its really windy ???
Then resume normal umbrella usage and keep it over your head.
I have no idea. Let's talk about Rihanna.
Isn't wind a force that would also in turn generate the needed energy? As there is more force (I am guesstimating) from the wind, more energy would be generated. You will be seen in dry storms too...
unfortunately the blowing wind won't charge the umbrella as it would require impact force to create electricity, not a constant pressure that the wind would apply.
Wind will normally rip apart the umbrella after which is becomes piezo-electric waste on the side of the road.
it becomes*
"In the year 2000....."
...robots will have killed all humans.
Binary solo!!
Hudda hudda hudda
I agree
classy.
Imagine the possible applications! Put this material on the roof of a residence. If a storm knocks out your electrical power during a storm, you can have this material generate enough electricity to power a few emergency lights.
or atleast your router and computer so u can let people know on irc what happened and what to do next
I JUST LAUGHED OUT LOUD.
he screamed
HAHAHA so true omg
@ XpLoiT3d
Well done, Sir!...
So how about fitting this stuff to the roof of a Chevy Volt - and using it to power the windshield wipers.
I love the proportional effect - more rain, more frequent wiping.
;-)
Awsome idea. This would great during rainy nights. They should make a coat like this for construction jobs that are at night in the rain
Totally agree. Safety precaution for all the drivers.
Far more useful than the piezoelectric road, since the raindrops don't care about the equal loss in kinetic energy.
Having the umbrella shade light up is probably more useful than having the shaft light up like http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/9260/
And what's this about there being an umbrella in the vid? All I saw was lots of skin :P
what's with all the piezo's lately?
i know, people are getting all charged up about them.
Oh, I see what you did there.
That is a really long name.
He say you Brade Runnah!
I love the idea, but why is the guy walking in the gutter water?
Under my umbr
eon
In the US, most vehicles will not operate in the fashion indicated: fog lights and parking lights without headlights.
What is the deal?
Ummm, In my hooptie it is easy to only turn on the running lights as with most cars on the road... then again I still have to remember to turn off my headlights too...
** In a related note i'm a little annoyed that i keep running after people to let them know they left there lights... only to have them look at me like "i'm the idiot" at the exact second the lights turn off on their own. **
If my calculations are correct the maximum power from the kinetic energy of rain traveling at 9 m/s hitting a 150 cm diameter umbrella at a rate of 3 cm an hour is about .066 watts. Good luck turning even a small fraction of that that into electrical power. Not too bright.
Just walk into a hailstorm ;)
Wouldn't this make it more difficult for the person holding the umbrella to see if it was really dark? Like when you drive around with the interior lights on inside a car.
I guess if you live in the suburbs you're not cool enough to have one.
uh no. Unless you walk with a windshield/window in front of you.
I'm talking about the effect the brightness has on your eyes' sensitivity to light. Like when you're walking around in the woods with a flashlight it's usually easier to see with the flashlight off because your eyes adjust to low light.
This has nothing to do with the reflection of the windshield.
Pretty cool... if they could combine this type of technology with solar panels that would be awesome. Could still get some juice when it was rainy or whatever.
"This video is not available in your country or domain" WTF?
http://proxy.org
i too was pwned by the video.
Yeah it's what sony brought to youtube, freaking regionalised video, yay...
It's a professional job you know, being evil.
Man i pressed play on that video expecting a video of the umbrella in action but all I got was a video of Rihanna's Umbrella ... in action.
"You can stand under my piezoelectricumbrella, you can stand under...
Never mind...
Days are not far when there will be piezoelectric condoms. Electricity produced will be used for domestic power supply.
Honey! I have to press my clothes, can we have it! plz
You sir talk french!