GravityLight

The World Bank estimates that 780 million women and children around the world inhale a volume of smoke equivalent to smoking two packets of cigarettes a day – leading to the statistic that 60% of female lung-cancer victims in developing nations are non-smokers. Much of this smoke comes from kerosene lamps. The fumes also cause eye infections and cataracts, while 2.5 million people per year suffer severe burns from kerosene lamps in India alone. It also comes with a huge financial burden: the cost of kerosene for lighting alone can account for 20% of household income.

GravityLight fights darkness in the developing world and does not need solar power to work. Instead, it relies on manpower to shine. It is a light source that operates on the stuff that surrounds you – earth, rocks or sand – with the helping hand of gravity. GravityLight is simply charged by a bag that is filled with around 9kg of material and hung from a cord below the light. As the bag descends, a series of gears inside the device translates this weight into energy, providing 30 minutes of light. The light strength can be adjusted, from strong task lighting to a longer-lasting low-level glow, and two terminals on the front allow it to be used as a generator so it can recharge other devices including radios and batteries.

GravityLight is a revolutionary new approach to storing energy and creating light. It takes only 3 seconds to lift the weight, creating 30 minutes of light on its descent. For free. GravityLight is great for people who live in less sunny places who cannot rely on solar power, and need new, cheap technologies to provide them with lighting. A great example of looking at the users’ environments and societies, and designing the best solutions for the issues at hand.