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Lightdrops Umbrella is Powered by Rain

rain

Anyone who has been caught in a torrential downpour knows that rain can be pretty powerful stuff. That’s why the Lightdrops umbrella prototype is so ingenious. The polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) umbrella features a “collective membrane” that powers its LED lights with energy from the rain.

The PVDF material actually harvests kinetic energy— the heavier the rain, the brighter the umbrella’s LED light becomes.

Designer Sang-Kyun Park’s umbrella isn’t close to being released yet, but I’ll be first in line for the finished product.

lightdrops

Photo Credit: Sang-Kyun Park

 
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Written By

was formerly the editor of CleanTechnica and is a senior editor at Co.Exist. She has contributed to SF Weekly, Popular Science, Inhabitat, Greenbiz, NBC Bay Area, GOOD Magazine, and more. A graduate of Vassar College, she has previously worked in publishing, organic farming, documentary film, and newspaper journalism. Her interests include permaculture, hiking, skiing, music, relocalization, and cob (the building material). She currently resides in San Francisco, CA.

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