A Portable, Solar-Powered Fridge for the Developing World

Emily Cummins, a 21-year old UK student, has produced a portable, solar-powered fridge that can be constructed from simple components, making it a perfect innovation for the developing world where reliable electricity is often not accessible.  Basing her design on the principle of evaporation – the same way we cool ourselves through perspiration – Cummins has created a device with two nesting cylinders, leaving space in a bottom compartment that can be filled with materials such as sand or soil that are then soaked in water, as this water evaporates, the inner chamber cools, maintaining a temperature around 43 F (6 C). Cummins, who spent several months perfecting her design in Africa, also plans to develop a more sophisticated model that can be used to transport medical supplies.

[via MailOnline]