|
Philips produces “school homework light”
Accra, March 23, Ghanadot/GNA – Dutch company
Philips has developed a new solar powered reading light,
which allows people to read books and write in the dark.
This light – called “My reading light”, should help boost
the education sector in Africa and allow a new generation of
school children to continue with their homework after
sundown, a statement from the company received in Accra on
Friday said.
It noted that today an estimated 500 million Africans lived
without electricity.
“For these people night time means either darkness or the
flickering light of a candle or kerosene lamp.
However the disadvantages of kerosene
lanterns are many, including safety and health risks, high
costs due to the link with oil prices. And the light output
of these lanterns is so low as to make reading almost
impossible.”
The statement said as a result therefore at the going down
of the sun which occurs at around 1830-1900 life simply
comes to a stop.
“Children can’t do homework and other economic activities
cease too whilst the quality of life is affected, both in
the short and long run. Solar powered lighting solutions can
really make a difference here.”
It said; “My reading light” provided high quality LED
lighting, which is evenly distributed along a patended
anti-scratch coated perspex sheet.
“It is extremely lightweight and can be held or placed over
the page of a book, allowing the user to read or write. ‘My
reading light’ has a built in rechargeable battery, which
provides between 3.5 and 9 hours of light depending on the
light level selected. There is a choice of high/middle/low
dimming settings.”
The statement said in addition to the main reading light a
slimmed down low cost version is also being developed with a
target consumer price of less than 15 US dollars.
It said availability for both versions is expected by autumn
2009.
“These new developments are part of Philips commitment both
to developing sustainable lighting solutions for Africa and
to its partnership with the Dutch government on the
‘Sustainable Energy Solutions for Africa’ (SESA) project
which aims to provide 10m people with affordable,
appropriate and sustainable energy services in 10
sub-Saharan African countries by 2015,” it said.
SESA links with existing UN projects to help provide
sustainable lighting, cooking and water purification in
Sub-Saharan Africa.
GNA
|
