The drill turbine is a generator built to transform wind or water current into electricity. Electrothirst is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $36,000 and start the process of building production parts.
Drill turbine weighs only thirty five grams, and is 3.5 inches long with a full radius of 2.75 inches. The blade is made of ABS - current prototypes were built on a 3d printer but full production will be done using injection molded parts. Gears in the assembly are made from nylon and brass.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2063847106/drill-turbine
When mounted to a bike moving at eleven miles per hour the Drill Turbine generates 5 Watts of electricity. The Kickstarter page makes sure that you know this is possible during the evening, when solar power wouldn't be generating power.
The Drill Turbine can be used anywhere, and is safe and easy for anyone to use. Charging has been tested for cell phones, gps units, battery chargers and mp3 players. Several iterations of prototyping have occurred and this design is the one that Isaac Simmons believes will bring the most energy and efficiency.
As a Kickstarter project this is a fantastic invention. Backers can pay $10 and get the STL file to build their own turbine and then source their own kit of parts for the generator. The easier method is to jump on the early bird bandwagon and receive a full assembly for $36. First assemblies are expected to ship in November 2014.
The campaign video itself looks homegrown, there are a few places that a professional marketing and editing team would have helped the project. One of the photos on the campaign page has a spelling error.
Generating enough power to charge electrical devices is definitely an industry that will grow and grow in the next decade. The Drill Turbine is a product that will meet the needs of small-scale energy consumers at a low price. The funding campaign will end on August 21, 2014 and as of this writing around $30,000 is still needed.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2063847106/drill-turbine