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Hydroelectric Bluetooth speaker is powered by the shower

Hydroelectric Bluetooth speaker is powered by the shower
The omnidirectional Shower Power speaker is presently on Kickstarter
The omnidirectional Shower Power speaker is presently on Kickstarter
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The inner workings of the Shower Power speaker
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The inner workings of the Shower Power speaker
The omnidirectional Shower Power speaker is presently on Kickstarter
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The omnidirectional Shower Power speaker is presently on Kickstarter

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.

The inner workings of the Shower Power speaker
The inner workings of the Shower Power speaker

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

4 comments
4 comments
RobC
"...once the battery is fully charged (which takes 14 to 16 hours of showering)". Nope, not practical.
David V
A shower doesn't use much water. Except when my eldest daughter washes her long hair...
Once you've installed this and your family has tripled the water bill, this will be heading to the trash. It will affect water usage because you will want to stay longer to listen longer. If you don't pay for your water by usage (Canada ?) maybe that's OK with you.
It's certainly smart but I don't feel the tech is being used for the right reason. Use the bluetooth to send me info on my water consumption, I'm more interested.
Aross
Interesting but needs a lot of tweaks. Charging rate needs massive improvement. Although I take a shower every day it usually last about 5 minutes. At that rate I would need 12 days to get 1 hours charge and 168 to 192 days for a full charge, assuming that using the speaker while showering will not increase the time required. That is just not practical.
If the charging unit was installed the main water line the time required to charge would be better but then the speaker would have to be portable. This is just a solution looking for a minor problem.
All in all though I use a Bose unit ($80) that needs charging once every 2 weeks or so and I can take it anywhere.
zaga
This is a vary interesting product. The comments so far seem to have missed the part where it has "instant on" capabilities as soon as the water begins to spin the impeller wheel meaning whether the battery is charged or not it will function while the water is flowing. Extra generated current will slowly (14-16 hours) charge the battery so the unit could be used without water flow. It is a bona fide niche product not intended to change the world but by making electricity with water you will be using anyway... you are doing something ecological even if on a very small scale...