Ugandan telcon introduces pedal-powered phone recharger

The Monitor of Kampala reports that Asasira Buga, the chief engineer of Bugatech, a mobile phone repairing company, and businessman Goddie Odongkara unveiled a bike-borne phone recharging system in Kampala.

It’s made in Uganda.

‘Mobile power’ comprises of a dynamo, power accumulator and circuits where car chargers of any type of phone are plugged to charge.

Odongkara said: “After moving throughout the country, I discovered that many people in rural areas do not buy mobile telephones due to lack of charging systems. The idea will increase mobile telephone use among people.”
He said the system that can charge eight phones per hour of riding. Clearly, that’s a job creation scheme in the making.

The system reminds me that Europe and the US had such a charger way back in 2000. I reported on it at the time. Inventor Kieron Loy came to my house to show off his invention. Sadly, it never sold in bucketloads. When it was introduced in America in 2001, one was gifted to Dick Cheney.

One of the key reasons the charger never really took off was the relatively easy access to electricity. In rural Africa, the concept has a far greater chance of success. I wonder if the recharging is done on a static bike or some kid rides around the village all day?

Pedal power is much under-used, of course. But it could be harnessed for rotating a washing machine drum as per this video (which also includes a phone recharger option on the turbo unit):