Sunglasses that generate solar power

Engineers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have made a pair of sunglasses with semi-transparent organic solar cell lenses. And before you jump in to ask that much genuine doubt let me answer it, no, you don’t have to stare at the sun directly for the shades to work. The power generated is enough to operate devices like hearing aids. This is an innovative way of incorporating clean energy into mobile applications.

The lenses are cut like ordinary glass. They have a thickness of about 1.6 mm, weight about 6 grams, and easily finds in commercial frames. They are both light and transparent. Organic solar cells aren’t exceptionally efficient, but they are flexible and versatile, making it the right option to choose when a rigid, opaque cell is not an option.

“The Solar Glasses we developed are an example of how organic solar cells may be employed in applications that would not be feasible with conventional photovoltaics,” said Dominik Landerer, a PhD student at KIT who was a part of the project. They work in dim light too.

The arms of the shades contain custom PCBs to convert the current and use it to run the 2 displays that show temperature and brightness. The cells generate about 200 milliwatts of additional power. That’s hardly enough for your phone, but can run or charge a low-power device.

If solar energy can power a mobile device, it totally makes sense to have solar cells in something you wear, and gets a whole lot of sunlight.

Human libraries: Yes, they exist!

Strange yet indigenous that’s what I can say about the idea of setting up human libraries where you can ‘borrow’ humans. Or, you don’t have to take pains to read an entire book to know or understand someone or something. Instead, a person can sit down and explain to you in the most palatable language possible. The concept was devised based on the idea of knowledge sharing which has been around since time immemorial. Simply put, it's a library of people, or it replaces books with people who can kick-start engaging conversations.

Will the concept of ‘human books’ work? It works, says many. The idea first originated in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2000. It soon became a worldwide movement for social change. If you are wondering what is the aim of setting up human libraries, here is the reason why the concept is taking the world by storm – It helps people learn to appreciate and respect others, understand social barriers, learn positivity and hopefulness from human books and human experiences. Australia is the first country to have a permanent human library.

People volunteer to become ‘books’ and make their experiences openly available, especially on topics that are difficult or time-consuming to explain. Or, you get books that speak from the heart. How does it work? If you are wondering how to borrow a ‘human book’’, let me share the information that I gathered from a handful of posts on human libraries. It’s just like any other normal library. You can go through a catalogue, choose a ‘book’ on a certain topic, and get a fixed amount of time with ‘it’ to ask questions freely, and will get honest and interesting answers in return.

It’s been 17 years since the first human library was launched. Today, you can find human libraries in more than 70 countries including the United States. Many believe that human libraries are the next big thing. Wondering why? We need them in today’s polarized world with numerous quick-to-judge people. It’s time to confront stereotypes, get rid of fears, embrace diversity, and feel more secure and forward-looking.

When it comes to sharing a life story, it’s beneficial for both the narrator and listener, or when it’s kind of cathartic for the narrator, the listener gets a good, inspirational, must-remember message.

Can ‘human books’ be more interesting and informative than the printed ones, e-books, and audio books?