A few days ago, we talked about the Solar Power-Dok table that charges your phone while you are gleefully lounging. Well, this time around, you have to work for the ‘charge’ – by virtue of your pedaling power. At least that is what Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport newest installation – the aptly named WeBike, brings to the fray.
Envisioned as stationary bike designs by the start-up company WeWatt, a single WeBike can entirely charge your iPhone or even power your WiFi connection with the aid of 30 minutes of gentle pedaling. Interestingly, 30 minutes is also the optimized exercising time prescribed by most of the official health organizations.
However, the advantageous ambit of the WeBike goes beyond the scope of just keeping up fitness and charging your mobile device. According to the designers involved, the sustained yet not over-strenuous pedaling can also lead to the enhancement of your mental capacities, with increased concentration in you work, more creativity and even improved memorization and reading speeds.
In essence, ‘soft exercising’ can potentially account for better quality of work. And in tune with this notion, the creators are also looking forth to contrive special WeBikes for offices. These charging stations/exercising installations will allow the employees to check out the amount of time they have put into their daily pedaling goal – which would surely be a better alternative to those mundane gym sessions.
The conscientiousness of these cycling desks is however not just limited to the user-oriented features; it also continues on the commercial scheme of things. To that end, the charging bikes are actually manufactured in local factories that employ people with disabilities. Moreover, there is an upcycling side to the whole affair, as they use scrap wood and salvaged leather from local industries for the dedicated manufacturing processes.
Unsurprisingly, local European resources pertain to higher labor costs, and as such a single WeBike will set you back by $13,000. But considering its benefits of green energy and health improvements, we can argue that it is indeed a small price to pay for a genuinely innovative product.
Via: NPR
