Personally, I prefer the version that makes smoothies. But, great concept. I wonder if other public places will follow suit. Wouldn't it be a great idea for places like the Children's Museum?
2008-11-26 15:53:50
3
Pedal Tree
This sounds fun:
"The alternative-energy tree won't be sucking up electricity from Indiana Michigan's power grid. Rather, visitors to the Festival of Trees will be allowed to hop on a bike connected to a generator and pedal away. The generator creates energy that goes into a power pack that lights the tree.
Because the power pack can store energy, the strand of lights will stay on for a while even when no one is pedaling. When the power starts running low, an alarm will sound indicating it's time to start pedaling again."
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/SE/20081125/NEWS/811250322
2008-11-26 14:26:47
Maybe Children's Museum, maybe Science Center, but a cool exhibit would be a bike-driven generator that lets kids choose to run one of three light strings, (A) Old-style incandescent bulb string,
(
Newer incandescent bulb string (mini-lights),
(C) String of LED lights
with "B" and "C" run off of a small-capacity battery pack. With "A" going out as soon as the pedals stop, "B" going out in a few seconds, and "C" staying on for upwards of a couple of minutes, it might help kids visualize power usage concepts we'd like to get across.
Toronto's Ontario Science Center had a bike-driven set of 100-watt bulbs that you had to about half kill yourself to keep lit, back about 1972, so this shouldn't be too hard to do today.
2008-11-26 20:36:29