A shower speaker powered by water
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A new shower speaker is powered by the flow from the showerhead and can run for up to 20 hours once fully charged
Spotted: The wireless charging startup Ampere has developed a Bluetooth shower speaker, the “Shower Power”, that is powered by the water from your shower. No separate charging is needed – the speaker is a miniature hydropower generator.
The speaker will connect to any showerhead in around a minute, and automatically turns on with your shower and connects to your device. The water’s flow powers an internal impeller, which is connected to a tiny generator which charges the battery. On a full charge, the battery will last for around 16 to 20 hours — so as long as you shower regularly, it should never need charging.
The speaker uses a sound wave amplifier to project the sound, for complete shower surround sound. It can also be paired with an additional speaker for duets. Sound can be controlled through the speaker or by using a waterproof remote. In addition to using a renewable energy source, the Shower Power is also made from 100 per cent recycled ocean plastic.
The Shower Power was launched at this year’s CES. Ampere CEO Reid Covington explained that “While we’ve been developing this idea for more than two years now, we couldn’t think of a better time to launch it. After a quarantine-fuelled year, we’re consuming more content on our speakers – like podcasts, audiobooks and music – than ever before. And on top of that, we’re spending even more time at home because of the pandemic. We think that it will be a great fit for audiophiles or avid podcast listeners.” Indeed, the system also comes with LED lights and its own Spotify playlist of songs.
Interest and investment in renewable energy are beginning to expand from large projects, such as EV vehicles, to smaller projects – like these shower speakers – as consumers demand greater sustainability from a wider range of products. At Springwise, we have seen this trend in projects ranging from an air conditioner that uses a closed system to reduce energy use, to a shower drain that warms the water and conserves energy.
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