Eco Factor: Thermos-sized device needs to be heated to trigger a refrigerant.
Research indicates that more than one-sixth of the world population lacks access to electricity and hence refrigeration. Such places are also the most polluted, and because of the lack of basic infrastructure, residents of these places are even more prone to diseases. Since many of the vaccines used in treatment of these diseases need to be kept cool, these people lack basic medication too.
A team at Stanford, including tech venture capitalist Adam Grosser, has developed a refrigerator that needs no electricity. The thermos-sized device works on the principles of thermodynamics, and carries a refrigerant that is triggered when the device is heated and left to cool at room temperature. The device costs just $50 and can prove to be a boon for people living in underdeveloped countries.
The Dark Side:
The device needs heat, which would be provided by burning wood or charcoal, especially if we are talking about underdeveloped countries. Burning wood or charcoal would definitely spoil all the eco-credentials that the device possesses.
Via: CrunchGear/Esquire
