WindPax
You’ve seen those huge wind turbines that dot the open-plained
landscapes of the Midwest (perhaps just in pictures) or maybe old wooden
windmills on farms. Now, imagine being able to take that sort of
technology with you on a camping trip. With the WindPax Wind Turbines,
that’s exactly what you can do.
Originating from West Virginia University, with the idea of providing power to those with no grid access, the WindPax is a light-weight, collapsable and portable wind turbine. The WindPax wind turbine is a verticle turbine designed to "cup" the wind in its collapsable fins to spin the turbine and generate power via an internal generator. It can fit into a backpack and is ideal for campers and hikers.
WindPax Wind Turbine
The WindPax can be set up in under 2 minutes and is made of flexible yet durable plastic. It can generate power from the lightest of breezes 24 hours a day and comes with a removable internal battery stick. The battery stick has USB and mini-USB internal hookups that you can use to charge your devices, and it is equipped with a LED that transforms the WindPax into a lantern when the battery stick in inside or can be used as a flashlight when you remove the battery.
Of course, the ultimate and loftier goal is to have the WindPax be a clean energy source for those who are off the grid, however the people at WindPax see their turbine as a great camping tool as well, especially for those who enjoy their technology. The WindPax is still in its development stage, and though prototypes
have been tested, it isn’t quite ready to hit the market. However, you
can back the project on their Kickstarter page
and, depending on the level of support you give, reserve one of the
WindPax models for yourself when it is ready to be released. You can also check out the WindPax site for more information.
