French designer’s bonsai tree charges everyday devices
03 Dec 2012
A French designer has created a mock bonsai tree that works both as an ornament and a charger for everyday electrical devices.
According to the Daily Mail, The Electree+, created by Vivien Muller- had 27 miniature silicon solar panels - or ''leaves,'' as they are called, that could be arranged in any way the owner wanted for creating their own bespoke tree.
The base of the gadget is fitted with a battery that stored the solar energy. At full capacity the tree could hold enough power to charge an iPad twice as also a phone in just four hours.
The Electree+ also concealed a USB connection underneath its wood-topped base unit and according to Mueller took inspiration after observing real trees, and noting that their leaves acted as natural solar panels.
But the gadget comes with a significant price tag at 283 pounds and it would be some time before people could start to recoup the savings.
The designer would start production after receiving 400 presale orders for the product.