Rajesh Adhikari personifies that old saying about necessity being the mother of invention, or at least severe boredom. Heavy snows in the hill town named Nanital in Uttrakhand, India, left him without power for days on end, disrupting family life and eliminating the use of his mobile phone, his faithful friend and buffer against tedium. He invented a pair of shoes not only made for walking, like Nancy Sinatra’s iconic boots of decades past, but also to charge mobile devices while you walk a mile in them (reminiscent of still another expression).
An adaptable and clever mobile charger
Rajesh Adhikari At Work: Source: Aninews.in
Rajesh created a functional shoe containing a small dynamo that charges up and produces 5 volts of electricity as the wearer walks or runs and lights up an LED bulb when the power runs out. The shoe is also waterproof, which makes his invention truly unique and innovative. Via a battery installed within the shoe, his charger can also be used to light a bulb, in case of power failure. In his own words: "When we raise our feet, the spring gets released and the dynamo starts revolving, which generates the current. We can charge our mobile phones while we are walking."
The Charger At Work: Source:Tech.firstpost.com
Like any true inventor worth his or her salt, Rajesh is working on improving his shoe. Planned upgrades include a design that will transform the device into a wireless phone charger, which the wearer can activate simply by carrying the mobile in a pocket while walking.
Other young Indian entrepreneurs
Creators of the Walkie Mobi Charger: Source: HindustanTimes.com
Adhikari is not alone among young Indian entrepreneurs. There is Angad Daryani, a 15-year-old dropout who is believed to have built India’s first 3D printer using a do-it-yourself-kit and the two women who helped to design the first pair of anti-rape jeans. In addition, there are also two 15-year-old school boys who have developed a device that when attached to the heel of a shoe, will automatically act as a portable mobile charger. Anand Gangadharan and Mohak Bhalla, both students of South Delhi’s Mount Carmel School, have created this compact attachment which took over three months to develop.
The Walkie Mobi Charger
This particular charger functions on the principle of electromagnetic induction. It generates up to six volts of electicity as opposed to the typical five volts released via a plug-in charger. Thus, the battery is charged at a much faster pace. This device has the ability to charge several different models of mobile phones and the process simply involves connecting the charger to the shoe while the phone lies in the user’s pocket.
In the words of co-inventor, Anand Gangadharan: "We had made this prototype as an attachment that can fit below a sports shoe. With more funds and better technical support, we plan to make this a feature built inside the sole of the shoe…This is an effective way to utilize an alternate source of energy and is also a healthy way to decrease your electricity bills."
Conclusion
It is evident that the youth of India are harnessing their creative energies to better serve the world in which they live. Societal and environmental challenges are pushing the boundaries of acceptable conditions and behaviors. The spirit of entrepreneurship is a growing flame in this ancient land of beauty, mystery and promise.
Final thoughts on mobie phones:
I want to buried with a mobile phone, just in case I’m not dead. ~ Amanda Holden
