Your smartphone is running out of Battery? Send SMS and recharge your phone. Yes, this is true. Innovative company, Baffalo Grid has developed a solar-powered cellphone charging station that gets activated after receiving SMS. If you are at the place where electric power is the problem, this technology will help you. This new charging technology is already in trial in Uganda.
The whole system is based on the technology called maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Cellphone battery derives the power from solar panel via MPPT and is charged by 60 watt solar panel. Power output from solar panel depends on various environmental factors including temperature, sunlight and resistance of the circuits connected to it. MPPT tries to generate maximum power at any condition.
When a cellphone send a message, to this charging Unit, ED above a socket on the battery lights up. It indicates that the phone is ready to charge. In Uganda each SMS allowed the phone to be charged for around 1.5 hours. A fully charged Buffalo Grid unit can last for three days, has up to 10 charging points and charges 30 to 50 phones a day.
According to a PTI report, Buffalo Grid’s Daniel Becerra, said, “When you bring power to phones that do not have any, people will use them more. Instead of paying for the charge, people will spend more on airtime.”
Company is trying to reduce the cost. It is already in talk with network providers. Company believes that it can make the service free with the help of network service providers.
