Mobile Technology

Mipwr Dynamo puts the squeeze on iPhone charging

Mipwr Dynamo puts the squeeze on iPhone charging
The Mipwr Dynamo is an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery
The Mipwr Dynamo is an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery
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The developers claim the Mipwr Dynamo's can also act as a battery backup, providing enough power for two full hours of talking or texting
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The developers claim the Mipwr Dynamo's can also act as a battery backup, providing enough power for two full hours of talking or texting
The developers plan to use the funds from their current Kickstarter campaign to finalize a model for the iPhone 5/5S and begin mass production
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The developers plan to use the funds from their current Kickstarter campaign to finalize a model for the iPhone 5/5S and begin mass production
The case also includes a port for a micro-USB connection that can recharge your phone and the Mipwr Dynamo simultaneously.
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The case also includes a port for a micro-USB connection that can recharge your phone and the Mipwr Dynamo simultaneously.
An early working prototype of the Mipwr Dynamo
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An early working prototype of the Mipwr Dynamo
The Mipwr Dynamo is an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery
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The Mipwr Dynamo is an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery
One minute of squeezing the lever will equal about 30 seconds of talk time, according to the designers
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One minute of squeezing the lever will equal about 30 seconds of talk time, according to the designers
A switch on the side of the case releases the small lever at a position where it can be gripped comfortably
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A switch on the side of the case releases the small lever at a position where it can be gripped comfortably
The Mipwr Dynamo is also slim enough to fit inside a pocket
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The Mipwr Dynamo is also slim enough to fit inside a pocket
Pushing the lever down spins a magnetic dynamo inside the case and charges a built-in 400 mAh battery through electromagnetic induction
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Pushing the lever down spins a magnetic dynamo inside the case and charges a built-in 400 mAh battery through electromagnetic induction
The developers plan to use the funds from their current Kickstarter campaign to finalize a model for the iPhone 5/5S and begin mass production
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The developers plan to use the funds from their current Kickstarter campaign to finalize a model for the iPhone 5/5S and begin mass production
The Mipwr Dynamo is an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery
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The Mipwr Dynamo is an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery
View gallery - 11 images

There are already a number of gadgets available that are powered through good old-fashioned mechanical energy, but those usually involve cranks that can be uncomfortable to use and bulky to carry around. Mipwr Dynamo represents a different approach: it's an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery, but is still slim enough to fit in your pocket.

The Mipwr Dynamo design team, founded by Karl Lee and Bob Panos, says the inspiration to build their human-powered phone charger came from seeing reports of people struggling to find power following Hurricane Sandy. It's these situations where electricity is especially scarce, like during a camping trip or a natural disaster, that the Mipwr Dynamo is primarily intended mainly.

A switch on the side of the case releases the small lever at a position where it can be gripped comfortably. Pushing this down spins a magnetic dynamo inside the case and charges a built-in 400 mAh battery through electromagnetic induction. One minute of squeezing the lever will equal about 30 seconds of talk time, according to the designers. When you're done charging, the lever can then be locked back into place.

One minute of squeezing the lever will equal about 30 seconds of talk time, according to the designers
One minute of squeezing the lever will equal about 30 seconds of talk time, according to the designers

Fortunately, you won't have to squeeze the case for four hours to completely charge it, since it also includes a port for a micro-USB connection that can recharge your phone and the Mipwr Dynamo simultaneously. When it is fully charged, the developers claim the Mipwr Dynamo's battery provides enough power for two hours of talking or texting.

At the moment, the developers only have working prototypes for the iPhone 4/4S but plan to use the funds from their current Kickstarter campaign to finalize a model for the iPhone 5/5s and begin mass production. They're attempting to raise US$78,000 for the project, and pledges for the Mipwr Dynamo begin at US$25. If all goes well, the company plans to ship the first batch of phone chargers in Feb. 2014.

In the meantime, you can watch the video below to see co-founder Karl Lee demonstrate how the Mipwr Dynamo works.

Source: Mipwr, Kickstarter

View gallery - 11 images
3 comments
3 comments
Bryan Paschke
neat idea...too bad it won't be compatible with the waterproof/ruggedized case I would actually need when I'm in places where a hand crank charger would be useful.
Mantion
I made something similar to this except you stood on it.
OuldBill
Probably will be fully developed and ready to hit the street, about a week after microsupercapacitors are ready to keep your cellphone working for weeks between charges. The ever-advancing fluidity of techno-gadget breakthroughs, especially at the micro-electronics level, portends a risky future for any such 'mechanical' solution.