If you've ever wished you could charge your phone while skateboarding, you should check out the Chargeboard designed by Bjorn van den Hout. The longboard has a docking station secured underneath the deck that is powered by kinetic energy.
It is able to generate electricity using two dynamos located in the rear axles. A powerbox stores this electricity, which can then be used to juice up your smartphone. Each of the dynamos can generate 6V of energy each, which is converted to 5V and then stored.
Bjorn van den Hout conceived the Chargeboard for his graduation project at Rotterdam's Willem de Kooning Academy. Only one hour of skating is enough to fully charge your phone. Its external USB and audio jack even let you play music while charging.
Phone-Charging Longboards
Bjorn van den Hout's Skateboard Prototype Generates Kinetic Energy
Trend Themes
1. Kinetic-powered Longboards - Opportunities to create and market longboard designs that are powered by kinetic energy.
2. Energy-generating Skateboards - Creating skateboards that generate and store energy can be a new avenue for innovation.
3. Multifunctional Sports Gadgets - Add more functionality to sports equipment that can charge electronics like smartphones and play music.
Industry Implications
1. Alternative Energy - The alternative energy industry can leverage the technology used in Chargeboard for other uses.
2. Outdoor Recreation - Companies in the outdoor recreation industry can incorporate the technology used in Chargeboard to make their products more multifunctional.
3. Mobile Technology - The mobile phone industry can correspondingly develop mobile technology that works with kinetic-powered gadgets.