While there are now quite a few Bluetooth speakers that can be used in the shower, they all periodically need to be taken out and recharged. The Shower Power speaker is different, in that it's continuously powered by the running shower water.
Manufactured by US startup Ampere, the waterproof Shower Power is simply screwed into place between a third-party shower head and the shower arm pipe that protrudes out of the wall. Like other Bluetooth speakers, it's wirelessly paired with the user's smartphone or tablet.
Once the shower is turned on, the running water spins up an impeller inside the speaker. That impeller is connected to a small generator, which charges the integrated 2,600-mAh lithium-ion battery. As a result, the Shower Power automatically switches itself on as soon as the water starts running.
Additionally, once the battery is fully charged (which takes 14 to 16 hours of showering), the speaker can reportedly be used for up to 14 hours without the water running.
Users control music playback utilizing button controls on the device itself, or via an optional wireless remote – although it should be noted that the latter isn't shower-powered. The same is true of the optional Droplet, which is a wirelessly linked second speaker that can be placed in another location within the bathroom.
According to its designers, use of the Shower Power doesn't affect shower pressure or water usage. And as an added bonus – to the environment, that is – it's made from 100-percent recycled ocean plastic.
Should you be interested, it's currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. A pledge of US$59 will get you one, when and if reaches production. The planned retail price is $99.95.
Source: Kickstarter
