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OLPC experiments with cow-powered generator for laptops

Posted October 26, 2007 10:05 AM
Pathfinder Tags: OLPC

From Engadget:

While the OLPC Foundation is no stranger to unconventional power sources, a team working in a village near Mumbai now looks to be taking things to a whole new level, with them currently experimenting with a cow-powered generator to keep the laptops charged up. According to OLPC's Arjun Sarwal, the makeshift rig uses a system of belts and pulleys to drive a dynamo taken from an old Fiat, with the cows (which are plentiful in the area) providing all the necessary brute force. Sarwal apparently turned to the cows after after solar, wind, and water power proved to be unfeasible, and a gas-powered motor proved to be too expensive. No word if he also considered that other form of cow power.

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Guru

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 548
#1

Re: OLPC experiments with cow-powered generator for laptops

10/27/2007 11:48 AM

Now cow fodder will be expensive , i wonder what it will be to cost to mail you guys through a laptop if any body could afford one, we will be charged on the basis of cow hours instead of watts or likes , they mention solar , wind , water power unfeasable , this is disgusting ,really frustrating , you did not mention humans that are also plentifull far outnumbering cows , can`t you guys employ humans for the same and leave cows for milk supply there humans cannot supply

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The Architect
Engineering Fields - Software Engineering - S/W Architect Popular Science - Evolution - Fascinating! Fans of Old Computers - TRS-80 - A fine computer United States - US - Statue of Liberty - NY

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: GlobalSpec, Troy NY
Posts: 386
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#2
In reply to #1

Re: OLPC experiments with cow-powered generator for laptops

10/30/2007 11:10 AM

Um, I don't think they are planning on converting the cows into laptop food, just make them walk around in circle (presumably). And the laptops come with a crank, so the human is the planned power of last resort... and what human wouldn't take the initiative and hook up his dog/cow/goat/whatever if he could figure out how to do it. The cost/benefit is there for people to figure out all for themselves.

FYI, they are projects that use humans for power... I read here somewhere about a children's playground that pumps water into a large storage tank as they play on a big spinning carousel-type thing.

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