Amazing solar-powered fridge invented by British student in a potting shed helps poverty-stricken Af

nice idea even if it's an improvement of an existing one... baby steps till we get there!

Quoted for truth!

There is no way THAT bimbo invented this idea from scratch!

So, when a bimbo English girl somehow 'found out' that this technique which was originally invented by an African and put some fancy shmansy metal stuff on it and call it 'solar-powered' SUDDENLY they're better than the Africans and claimed it as their invention? What a RIP OFF!

I find this to be racist! So you have to be white and 'beautiful' to be recognized for your achievements even you ripped off someone else's idea?

Now they're going to patent it so no one can make it for their own use! That's totally disgusting! TOTALLY DISGUSTING and greedy!


[edit on 8-1-2009 by SkepticalSpectacle]

That's good all these inventions keep wandering off far away from the homeland where they don't have to survive on a monetary system. These people in Africa may benefit from it all but the fact of the matter is that civilized nations would benefit the most from keeping their energy usage down.


This also reminds me of that scam that was floating around the papers. Some air conditioner that would save you tons on energy spending. Turns out it was just a fancy looking fan that would blow out cold air when you put ice in it.


And of course, applaud for the great idea and inventful mind. I suspect we won't be hearing from her or her inventions anymore in the future. Big Oil will do everything in their power to knock these people off the grid and keep their power of domination throughout the world.

reply to post by masonwatcher

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Trying to find a 'source' for powered PC isn't the problem, it is trying to invent a program for the PC so it does not crash.

Actually the african guy did the same thing.... this invention is thousands of years old.... But then again who cares whos idea it is so long as its put to use.... The only thing that si disgusting is when people try to deny they took inspiration from anothers idea

No need to invent.

The new ASUS portable laptops come in a variety that utilize renewable energy. Sure, it's a hand crank... but the power you can generate from a hand crank can easily be replaced by a solar panel.

It takes very little power to charge a battery. (But the lower the power the longer it takes.)
Laptop batteries are no exception.
It would be quite easy to recharge a laptop with solar cells... not to mention, they can be mounted on the back of the screen so it's always exposed to light during the day.
Make it unfoldable, and you can multiply the power you're charging with.

If you don't want to mount solar cells, you can purchase yourself a "solar backpack"... many companies make them, and there are a few specifically designed to carry a laptop while it recharges it using sunlight.


So there's no need to invent... the inventing is already done, it's just a matter of people catching on and actually buying it now.


As for this invention, it's a pretty good idea. Though the concept has been around for a while, nobody actually did much with it other than doing make-shift versions of it using similar concepts, but nothing that would last.

It's all well and good to recognize the idea already existed... but it's those who actually DO something with it that deserve the recognition. Hence, she deserves recognition.

And yes... she's pretty cute.

I'll give her credit... everything I create requires a power source. Thinking outside of this logic is a tad bit difficult to me.

Basic infrastructure would help. Electricity would be good. Low cost computers and internet so these people can read and research all the ideas that may be unheard of to them. But would they all want this?

How much could you scale this thing up I wonder?

I'm guessing this would be most effective in dry climates, just like with water coolers.

If it's too humid you aren't going to get much evaporation.

Anyway, seems like a great idea for drier climates.

Yeah, I thought she was cute too.

Troy

Actually right now, there are many entrepreneurs and large corporations investing in Africa through cheap technologies. The OLPC was aimed at Children of all countries.

This is becoming the next boom market, although slowed because of the recession.

I dont think it could be considered a boom market since they have no money... it seems to be more of a focus of non-profits.

Besides natural resource industries the only profitable industry i know of in africa is in mobile telecom

I know there are programs setup so that the citizens in Africa can use wind-up and/or solar powered radios. This type of techonology should be highlighted more in the global world stage for everybody around the world, with the use of 'solar powered' and/or 'wind-up' technologies.

So what? It's a bloody RIPOFF! They announced it to the world as THEIR invention!

And this is better than the pot in pot idea, how? Let me pull a drilled metal cylinder while I'm in the middle of Africa out of a mule's ass! What a stupid idea that they thought it would help Africans in the middle of nowhere.

So the idea is thoousands of year's old. AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO PATENT IT? WTF?

OK let see another dumb bimbo try to patent the WHEEL.

If you pay close attention to computer technology you will learn that the screen will become the main component and the internet will become the computer itself. This is happening right now. Their is an emergence of OLED tech and projections screens taking place right now. And most programs are being ported to to web base. So having a computer that runs on the same energy as a MR. COFFEE is almost here. Cool things are happening but still Refrigerators and Air Conditioners are behind times. What's the deal? Their energy hogs. What's the deal with CO2?

It does my heart good to see someone using their inventive mind to enrich the lives of others instead of using it to line their pockets with cash. Kudos to this young woman, hopefully she’ll continue utilizing that wonderful brain of hers.

The idea is far from new. Here's a site I threw together several years ago that we no longer use. The company is still around, but the solar refrigerators are now manufactured by someone else. Most of the effort is now going into alternative fuel DC generators. In the next month or two, I'll probably pick up where I left off and add all the new goodies.
Lots of good technical info to pour over.
Peace

Polar Power Inc

Peace

reply to post by Skyfloating

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It would nice if somebody could invent a cheaper solar generator or at least get the price lowered.I think a full fledge one costs like 20,000 dollars.

Patent, scmatent.

I'm gonna make one this weekend!

If anyone wants to sue me, they gotta find it first!

Might even try to put it in some type of plastic tent to trap the evaporated water so it can be recycled.

Being distilled, you could probably even drink it...

[edit on 9/1/09 by NuclearPaul]

It isn't a newspaper, it's the Daily Mail.

Using the sun water in this manner is an existing means of preserving food and water used in bushcraft the world over. However, since the majority of Mail readers think Africa is a disease rather than a country, that won't bother them too much....

LW

Some people are always too busy finding a reason to attack others to even bother to read the article, disgusting.

She is trying to develop a more SOPHISTICATED portable model which she hopes to patent, not this one itself.

A thousand years ago, the technology wasn't around to create thin walled containers needed for this information.

If some guy in Africa did invent the same thing, apparently, he hasn't told many people. This woman went to Africa to show people how to build these.



The woman tries to do a good deed, and this is how people treat her.

reply to post by poet1b

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The african gentleman everyone is speaking about actually won a large contest for his creation, and received a lot of publicity. I would not believe all you read, her being called the fridge lady could be the authors twist or rather one person said it now its her nickname (which is how nicknames begin).

Just to make it clear I am all for this, patents are a scourge on a technologically advanced society. People become more interested in securing control and power than advancing the species.