BioLite wants to upgrade current lantern technology. The team says that current lanterns are too bulky, don’t put out enough light, require large disposable batteries, or use large disposable canisters for fuel. Their solution is the BioLite BaseLantern, a flatpack lantern that can be controlled with your smartphone, and act as a portable charger. The project is running a very successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the first run of production lanterns.
Three basic design requirements guided the development of the lantern. A bright light was required, sharable power, and a smart control with realtime feedback. The base model lantern has a 7800 milliAmpere hour lithium ion battery and pushes out 500 Lumen. Two USB charging ports allow you to charge devices, or the lantern can be used by itself for an estimated 54 hours of light. The lantern itself has a 5.1 x 5.0 x 1.7 inch footprint and weighs 1.31 lbs.
BaseLantern’s app can control the light’s warmth, colors, and dimming. Analytics on the app show battery life and charging status. The app’s proximity functions can act as a beacon to find on a dark night or can turn on the lantern when the user gets within a set distance.
We’ve written about projects from this company before, most recently the BioLite BaseCamp stove in 2014. BioLite calls their business model Parallel Innovation, and the company develops technologies that will improve the quality of life in developing countries while also benefitting outdoor enthusiasts in North America. Profits are invested into creating more quality of life benefits for people who don’t have access to electricity. More than 15,000 HomeStoves have been delivered to homes in India, Uganda, and Kenya.
The Kickstarter page has a nice prototype evolution section and a video detailing the Total Internal Reflection system contained inside the lantern. This is a great example of engineers developing products that are useful to consumers while also pushing an agenda of sustainability. BaseLantern has already been funded and first units are expected to ship around October 2016.