A transport service in Kenya has found a way to keep its employees mobile phone always charged and available by using wearable flexible solar panel vests. Bicycle riders, the popular "boda-boda" riders, wear vests which have flexible solar cells installed on the back, connected to a tiny storage battery. This battery stores enough power to keep their mobile phones charged at all times, so calls can be taken, and customers tranported. "Boda-boda" is the local name for a service which basically provides bicycle rides for individuals wishing to travel from "border to border", through no man's land between country borders.

Boda-boda riders rely mainly on mobile phones during working hours, from early morning to late in the evening. Rides are mostly booked by phone. The service is used in every day life as well, by people going to and from work, school, or simply to do some grocery shopping. Currently, there about 1.5 million boda-boda's in the whole country.

Solar vests allow boda-boda riders to generate electricity both on the bike and off. Additionally, when at home, or not riding, the vest can easily be mounted on a window or porch and continue to generate electrcity as long as there is sunlight.

Others who may benefit from solar vests are fishermen, farmers, outdoor workers, tourists (keep your camera batteries charged), campers, hikers, just to name a few. More info about solar vests is available here.

[via: Textually.org]