Shane Cole
A pair of interesting new Kickstarter projects may allow for more versatile uses of Apple's iPhone, with a product for campers that provides electricity-generating campsite cookery, and a strap-on iPhone ring flash to improve low-light photos and video recordings.
The PowerPot X
The aptly-named PowerPot X aims to do exactly what it says on the label: provide electrical power from a pot. When paired with a camp stove, thermoelectric modules affixed to the bottom of the anodized aluminum kettle can provide up to 10 watts to the PowerPot's dual USB ports, which the pot's creators say is enough to charge a single iPad, two iPhones, or four GoPro cameras.
Power passes through a regulator before reaching the USB ports, ensuring that devices receive a constant and predictable flow of electricity. The regulator also features a built-in power meter that uses LEDs arranged in the familiar signal strength triangle to visualize exactly how much juice is flowing.
The second-generation portable power apparatus is designed to be lighter and more efficient than its predecessor, and comes in two sizes — Â the 4-quart PowerPot XL and the 2.4-quart PowerPot X — Â which both include a 36-inch charging cord to keep devices away from any flames.
Though innovative in its own right, the PowerPot is not alone in providing fire-driven power in remote settings. An earlier Kickstarted project, the FlameStower, generates just 3 watts of power but comes in a significantly lighter package.
There is no word on retail pricing, though the Kickstarter reward level that brings backers a PowerPot X is set at $165 and is set to ship by May 2014. At press time, the PowerPot X had raised $26,916 of its $30,000 goal from 158 backers with 41 days to go.
Lightstrap
Apple's iPhone 5s, with its camera's redesigned lens system and new dual-LED True Tone flash, is a capable low-light shooter, though not all "low light" situations are created equal — Â shooting nocturnal scenes in the Scottish Highlands is a bit different than foodspotting in a faintly-lit bistro.
Father-and-son team Ben and Cassidy Clawson have created the Lightstrap, a flash-equipped iPhone case which mimics a professional photographer's ring flash, that is designed to help Cupertino's handset take better low-light shots in a variety of conditions.
Lightstrap allows the photographer to select from seven brightness levels and six color temperatures, and the team says its flash is 10 times as bright as the built-in option on the iPhone 5s, 15 times that of the iPhone 5, and 30 times the brightness of the iPhone 5s's video-mode LED. A built-in 1000 mAh battery will power Lightstrap through more than 500 photos or 30 minutes of video and can be recharged over USB.
The 16-millimeter thick, 2.5-ounce accessory does not require a specialty camera app — Â Lightstrap is triggered by the iPhone's built-in LED flash.
Lightstrap's creators hope to ship the device by April 2014 — Â just in time for summer backpacking trips — Â for a retail price of $97. As of this writing, $12,173 of Lightstrap's $245,000 goal had been raised from 128 backers with 28 days to go.
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Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
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Wesley Hilliard
29 Comments
Great Ideal consider I have been in the back woods and wish I could charge my GPS up or a phone. But usually when I am in the woods, using my phone is not the primary thing and is usually turned off the entire time. Based on what I read it requires the thermal difference between the flame and water to create power and I am assuming once the water start boiling you loose most of the power output. With that said, my stove boils a liter of water in under 3 minutes and that is not enough time to charge a device. In case of an emergency you could keep replacing the water and use up most of your fuel just to get your cell phone charge. I am not sure what the risk vs reward on this one is and whether it is really worth it.
[quote name="Maestro64" url="/t/161067/kickstarter-projects-let-you-charge-your-iphone-with-fire-snap-pics-in-the-dark-with-better-flash#post_2443793"]Great Ideal consider I have been in the back woods and wish I could charge my GPS up or a phone. But usually when I am in the woods, using my phone is not the primary thing and is usually turned off the entire time. Based on what I read it requires the thermal difference between the flame and water to create power and I am assuming once the water start boiling you loose most of the power output. With that said, my stove boils a liter of water in under 3 minutes and that is not enough time to charge a device. In case of an emergency you could keep replacing the water and use up most of your fuel just to get your cell phone charge. I am not sure what the risk vs reward on this one is and whether it is really worth it.[/quote] Even at boiling the water will be much cooler then the flame. You would only need to replace enough water to keep it from boiling dry.
Seems kinda worthless to me....The poster above just proved my point.
Clones of the lightstrap idea are probably being made right now in China, ready for imminent release on eBay.
Seems kinda worthless to me....The poster above just proved my point.
Agreed. The logical solution to the problem is a solar panel.