June 18, 2014 at 15:09Headlamp powered by the heat of the human body
- Transfer
Anna Makosinski, a young inventor who received an award for the invention of a thermoelectric flashlight, demonstrated a new version of her invention: a headlamp powered by the heat of the human body.
A 16-year-old girl from Victoria demonstrated her new device at the Ontario Science Center in Toronto on Tuesday, where she received the 2014 Flashlight Concept Award.
The flashlight, which received the prize at the Google Science Fair in 2013, like the headlight, is charged from the so-called Peltier devices. Peltier elements are capable of producing a small amount of electricity during heating, on the one hand, and cooling, on the other. The heating is carried out due to the heat of the palm, and the cooling is carried out using air passing through an aluminum tube.
The 2008 Weston Award, set in 2008, is awarded annually to young Canadians who have creatively used their scientific knowledge to change the world for the better. As for Makosinski, she hopes her inventions will help people in developing countries, such as friends in the Philippines, who were the first to inspire her to create inventions.
“She told me how she failed the exams at school because of the lack of electricity and, as a result, the light failed to learn lessons at night,” recalls Makovinski in an interview with a CBC news correspondent.
She added that such a device can be useful in emergency situations, as well as in camping conditions, since it does not require the use of batteries.
The project to create a headlamp was ambitious enough, recalls Makosinski, because it was necessary to create a design that would not be too heavy or bulky when worn, as if it was about to fall from your head. "
Another difficult task was to find enough good battery as the head radiates a large amount of heat.
The characteristic features of the current prototype are rechargeable batteries, which are attached on both sides of the device and LED lamp, which is on top of Ke long body, like candy lollipop.
In the invention, there is a solar panel to recharge and additional capacitor, which allows to accumulate the electric power without using the battery.
“The device only needs to be turned on, and it will produce light - the temperature of the flashlight does not matter,” commented Makosinski.
Under normal conditions, the devices work better at low temperatures, there is also a big difference between the temperature of the head and air, although Makosinski claims that the difference can be only two or three degrees.
She added additional features to the flashlight, on the improvement of which she is still working.
The girl noted that several companies have already expressed interest in the manufacture of this device, however, "they wait until the brightness of the flashlight becomes competitive compared to existing analogues on the international market."
Makosinski expressed hope that she would be able to invest the money received from a recent award in order to obtain a patent for her invention.
However, she is pleased to be able to showcase her inventions at the Ontario Science Center.
“A lot of young people will be able to see the devices and test their work and, hopefully, get inspiration.”
The Weston Youth Innovation Award was established by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, a private Canadian family foundation. Earlier prizes were awarded for inventions such as devices that made solar panels charge from the sun, and biofilters that can remove nanoparticles from wastewater.
A 16-year-old girl from Victoria demonstrated her new device at the Ontario Science Center in Toronto on Tuesday, where she received the 2014 Flashlight Concept Award.
The flashlight, which received the prize at the Google Science Fair in 2013, like the headlight, is charged from the so-called Peltier devices. Peltier elements are capable of producing a small amount of electricity during heating, on the one hand, and cooling, on the other. The heating is carried out due to the heat of the palm, and the cooling is carried out using air passing through an aluminum tube.
The 2008 Weston Award, set in 2008, is awarded annually to young Canadians who have creatively used their scientific knowledge to change the world for the better. As for Makosinski, she hopes her inventions will help people in developing countries, such as friends in the Philippines, who were the first to inspire her to create inventions.
“She told me how she failed the exams at school because of the lack of electricity and, as a result, the light failed to learn lessons at night,” recalls Makovinski in an interview with a CBC news correspondent.
She added that such a device can be useful in emergency situations, as well as in camping conditions, since it does not require the use of batteries.
The project to create a headlamp was ambitious enough, recalls Makosinski, because it was necessary to create a design that would not be too heavy or bulky when worn, as if it was about to fall from your head. "
Another difficult task was to find enough good battery as the head radiates a large amount of heat.
The characteristic features of the current prototype are rechargeable batteries, which are attached on both sides of the device and LED lamp, which is on top of Ke long body, like candy lollipop.
In the invention, there is a solar panel to recharge and additional capacitor, which allows to accumulate the electric power without using the battery.
“The device only needs to be turned on, and it will produce light - the temperature of the flashlight does not matter,” commented Makosinski.
Under normal conditions, the devices work better at low temperatures, there is also a big difference between the temperature of the head and air, although Makosinski claims that the difference can be only two or three degrees.
She added additional features to the flashlight, on the improvement of which she is still working.
The girl noted that several companies have already expressed interest in the manufacture of this device, however, "they wait until the brightness of the flashlight becomes competitive compared to existing analogues on the international market."
Makosinski expressed hope that she would be able to invest the money received from a recent award in order to obtain a patent for her invention.
However, she is pleased to be able to showcase her inventions at the Ontario Science Center.
“A lot of young people will be able to see the devices and test their work and, hopefully, get inspiration.”
The Weston Youth Innovation Award was established by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, a private Canadian family foundation. Earlier prizes were awarded for inventions such as devices that made solar panels charge from the sun, and biofilters that can remove nanoparticles from wastewater.