The Tellurex tPOD1 could light homes and charge cellphones in rural villages using only a standard tea candle – if it can get the production and distribution funding it needs via Kickstarter.com.
The tPOD (which stands for thermoelectric Power On Demand) works by converting the heat of one $.05 tea candle into an electrical current which can then be used to power a small light or to recharge an add-on battery pack. Designed for both disaster preparedness in the U.S. as well as for the needs of the developing world, it would bring light and power to anyone in need of a portable, inexpensive, and easy-to-operate power source.
The tPOD weighs is the size of a soup can, weighs less than 12 ounces, and provides up to 4 hours of light from widely-available tea candles. Tellurex sees the miniature electrical generator as a way for village households to reduce their dependence on dangerous and toxic kerosene-powered light sources as well as provide a way of powering phones for calls and text messages, extending the reach of residents beyond their immediate locale in case of emergency. In the U.S., the company sees customers living in tornado alley or in the path of hurricanes as potential customers as well, buying the tPODs for their emergency kits.
Tellurex is using the crowd-funding website Kickstarter.com to raise funds for the tPOD1 in hopes that it can get enough pledges in to start production and begin distribution. As of this writing, the project has received over $35,000 of its $85,000 goal with 23 days still left to go. Depending on the pledge level, backers can receive their own tPODs or even be allowed to purchase multi-packs of them at distributor prices. Kickstarter has produced a lot of great products and ideas since its inception, and at the rate it’s being backed the tPOD could be the site’s next successful launch.
Watch a video demonstration of the tPOD1:
Image Credit: Tellurex