Sudha Kheterpal wants to bring energy to people through the power of music. She was troubled that three quarters of Kenya do not have access to electricity. Her solution is SPARK, a musical instrument that generates power when shaken.
Kheterpal is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund a production run, set up a distribution network and develop educational materials for SPARK. STEM subjects are very important to Sudha, and she hopes to work with Kenyan students to learn about the technology and generate light on their own.
The estimates for SPARK say that the energy for one hour of light can be generated from twelve minutes of shaking. Early reports also say that SPARK can charge a mobile phone, but the feature does not exist on current prototypes.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/726552172/shakeyourpower
SPARK is enclosed by two housings full of beads that create the shaking noise. Inside is a magnet that creates current as it is shaken through the coil. The current charges a battery and an external USB port connects to the SPARK light and gives illumination.
Sudha's idea is solid and useful, and the Kickstarter page includes a frank discussion about the risks and challenges associated with the project. Shipping costs and importing taxes have been issues along with the question of exactly how much SPARK will cost when in full production. Personally the idea of a product that exists in constant vibration makes me nervous in terms of long term durability.
There is a serious commitment not just to education, but creating the shaker in kits that will be used by Kenyan teachers to teach music and put Art into the STEAM curriculum. The campaign video is full of examples of Kenyan young and old shaking the SPARK to create music in their everyday lives. SPARK is definitely a worthwhile project and is about halfway to its funding goal with fourteen days left in the campaign.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/726552172/shakeyourpower