Dance and Charge

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This time, Orange has tapped into the energy festival-goers expend dancing and put it to work for powering up mobile phones. The Orange Dance Charge, developed with renewable energy firm Gotwind and currently just in prototype form, weighs just 180 grams and measures 4¼ x 2½ inches—about the same size as a pack of cards and the same weight as a mobile phone. The unit comes encased in a black elastic neoprene strap that gets attached over the wearer’s bicep with Velcro, much the way a runner’s arm-mounted MP3 player does. As users move their arms along with the music, a specially designed system of weights and magnets creates an electrical current that gets stored as charge in a reserve battery. That energy can then be used to recharge a mobile phone. Reportedly, Orange tested the Dance Charge out at Glasto by employing a "Dance Charging Man" at the festival who was on duty to dance (for free) with those in need of some recharging.
As we noted before, it's hard to beat green free love at a summer music festival—but throw in some fancy footwork and an official Dance Charging Man? It doesn't get better than that! ;-)
Website: pressoffice.orange.co.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=808&NewsAreaID=2
Contact: orangepr@golinharris.com

Super-lightweight folding electric bicycle

What's the simplest way to get from A to B with the aid of a machine? That's the question the New Zealand-based creators of recently launched YikeBike set out to tackle from scratch. The result is a super-lightweight folding electric bicycle, with eco-iconic looks. The YikeBike is the first production version of the Mini-Farthing design concept which has been five years under development. Departing entirely from the norm, YikeBike features a radically novel riding position, steering mechanism and wheel configuration. It's the evolutionary offspring of a Segway and a penny farthing.

So why the strange design? First, YikeBike does away with exposed mechanics (chain, gears, standard brake mechanisms etc.), replacing them all with a lightweight, 1.2 kW electric motor and "smart electronics". Allied with the carbon fibre frame, this helps keep the weight down to less than 10kg, reduces the need for maintenance and makes the YikeBike a breeze to carry in its case. The electrics also power safety features, such as anti-skid braking, brake lights and indicators. It's claimed that the design is the equal of its 120 year old predecessor in terms of stability, and even safer as the upright position increases visibility and allows the rider to jump off unimpeded in the event of a crash.

The YikeBike has max-speed of 20 km/h and a range of 9 km, so it should be up to the requirements of most commuters. Bikes are available for pre-order now, with expected pricing at a steep USD 3,500–3,900 (we're hoping that's an early-adopter price that will go down as production goes up). Seems like it could be just what the doctor ordered for the congested arteries of our over-populated cities. But there's just one thing a standard bicycle can do that YikeBike can't—keep people fit. The Mini-Farthing design is equally applicable to non-electic bicycles, though, and available for license—will you be the one to roll it out?

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