Innovative electric vehicles have been stirring up a lot of buzz in
recent times, but their mechanisms can sometimes be bulky. One company
has decided to take electric biking to a whole new level and incorporate
bluetooth connectivity into the innovative design. On
top of this incredibly functional feature, the Electric S bike looks
nothing like you would expect, and there are very few indications that
it is actually powered through an electric motor, according to TNW. The short video released by Amsterdam based company VanMoof shows off their product in a new light.
Naturally, you may be asking why bluetooth would be necessary to
integrate into a bike, but it actually provides an even greater level of
security to the somewhat expensive design. With a built in locking
feature and display monitoring, the battery powered bike can travel 75 miles on a single charge. Adjustable speeds, and all of its other features mean there isn’t much not to like about the incredibly stylish design.
One of the best abilities the user gains when having an internet
connected bike is no longer having to hassle with keys, or remembering
your bike lock’s combination. Now you can simply unlock the bike with a
tap of your screen.
If for some reason a thief does steal your bike, there’s a built in
GPS that allows users to recover the bike, with the help of the local
authorities of course.
Now here is the major downside to the Electrified S electric bike, it costs a whopping US$3500, likely leaving the product to only be bought by the very well off. Containing a 250W electric motor,
the bicycle can certainly hold its ground for all of your biking needs.
If you are someone who rides their bike to work each day, you may be
able to justify the several thousand dollar price tag.
So why don’t you head out and go get yourself a stylish electric bike?
Oh, yeah we forgot, it costs as much as some used cars . . . Well you
could always save up for one. As technological innovation meets
centuries old mechanisms, the future is looking pretty bright for the
recreation industry.
In some rural parts of Africa, people, especially women and children spend up to 26% of their time fetching water for drinking and cooking, washing and other needs. The images of women carrying water jars on their heads are a traditional postcard of Africa, but these people, in addition to wasting a lot of time on this daily struggle, often suffer from long-term injuries due to the heavy load carried inappropriately.
Two African engineers have developed an invention that is changing this reality, and has been improving millions of lives since it was first established in 1994. The ‘Hippo Water Roller‘ is a simple device for carrying water more easily and efficiently. It consists of a barrel-shaped container which holds the water and can roll along the ground, and a handle attached to the axis of the barrel. The tank holds up to 90 liters, far more than a person can carry on their head. Furthermore, in a more complex model it counts with a pump and a filter to purify the water for drinking purposes.
Considering these families that need the water roller can’t really afford them, they are delivered through sponsors. According to the Hippo Water Roller Project, “approximately 46,000 sponsored Hippo rollers have been distributed in at least 20 countries directly benefiting at least 300,000 beneficiaries with an average of 7 per household.”
