Contrary to popular belief, your charger does consume electricity even if it’s left on with nothing plugged in. It’s a tiny amount, but a tiny amount multiplied by a million homes is a pretty big deal. Enlighten is a switchboard that not only lights up itself, it also enlightens the user when it senses ‘phantom power’ or a negligible electricity consumption (found when TVs are on standby, or when phones have finished charging). The Enlighten does this by measuring the levels of electricity passing through the plug-points. Anything below 4W gets flagged and the plug-point immediately illuminates and begins pulsating. The light is powerful enough to be seen from the other end of a room, so that the consumer is made aware and can then switch the outlet off. How empowering for the user, isn’t it! Such a simple solution to a massive problem we haven’t identified yet.
Designers: Candice Daley, Adrian Stovell, Sam Singer, Joshua Bell & Greg Visagie.
