Technology on the Trash Can

I’m sitting on a park bench in the middle of campus eating a burrito with a few classmates when a guy next to us starts spinning around frantically with a mysterious device in his hand. I roll my eyes and quip, “Only at MIT.” We eat our lunch, and as I toss my garbage into a trash can that is doubling as a table for the fascinating gizmo. My curiosity prevails, “What is that??”

Photo courtesy of Nadeem Mazen

They explain that the device is a stationary wind energy generator, an alternative to a wind turbine. It extracts energy from a tensioned belt that is oscillated by the wind. This small-scale version lights an array of LEDs as wind air passes through it. One gentleman comments how revolutionary the device is despite the fact that it doesn’t revolve. Who says engineers aren’t funny? :) I’m amazed at how cool it is, and how friendly the engineers by the trash can have been. Then Amy, who is affiliated with the MIT D-Lab, comments that we should make a regular event to share technologies with the MIT community and call it “Technology on the Trash Can”. Funny stuff :) Amy and her colleagues go on to tell us that the technology is being commercialized by Humdinger and that the young man with them is William Kamkwamba, who I was already planning to hear speak that evening. Now I get why there are photographers and videographers surrounding us!

Photo courtesy of Nadeem Mazen

Faced with famine in Malawi, William taught himself physics and built a windmill from junkyard parts. He was then able to provide power and irrigation to the town, and provided essential nourishment to his family and neighbors. Since building the windmill, William published a book titled “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind”, was invited to speak at TED, and was recently interviewed on the Daily Show by John Stewart:

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William Kamkwamba
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William and co-author Bryan Mealer presented that evening to an overcrowded classroom of MIT students eager to hear William’s story. William shared his experience and his future goals and inspired the room. During Q&A, I asked William what he thought about the new wind technology that had been introduced to him earlier in the day. His initial reply filled the room with laughter, “It was COOL!” Next, Amy stepped in and used the opportunity to present William with a gift from the MIT D-Lab. She gave him the Windbelt device!

It turns out that Amy is Amy Smith, the incredibly accomplished inventor and MIT lecturer. Amy is the recipient of several prestigious awards, is also a TED speaker, and is the founder of D-Lab (Design for Developing Countries). Getting to meet William and Amy was amazing. Only at MIT!