POWER FROM PLAY

Power from Play is a combined toy and luminaire made for kids living where access to electricity is unreliable. Power is generated by rotating the toy, leaving it completely independent of the power grid. 

 

The toy was developed during a project aimed to improve life for kids in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Some of the identified issues were related to unreliable access to electricity, freely hanging cables, cramped spaces and dark alleys deriving from lacking infrastructure. The project aims to be a reliable source of light supporting kids in their daily activities like studying and finding the way, powered by play. 

 

The toy consists of off the shelf electronics that generates and stores power for the light, working as a torch and affording task lighting. To make the luminaire accessible for even the thinnest wallets, the cast is designed to be injection molded, but ideally it should be provided through authorities or NGOs to kids in need all over the world. 

 

The project was conducted with a cross-disciplinary approach and progressed through trial and error. Next steps would be industrialization and applying the concept to other types of toys. Power from Play questions the perception of electricity and encourages a more responsible energy consumption. 

 

Made together with Mikkel Garde