The wind up radio: A wonderful British invention
When you’re sat at a lake, far from a power socket, or camping with your family, a #WindupRadio is an excellent thing to have on-hand. For avid outdoorsmen, the wind-up radio is a must-have piece of equipment, capable of offering endless hours of entertainment and information.
However, while you might have looked into the benefits of clockwork radios before, the chances are you don’t know exactly where they came from, or why they’re such an important invention.
It turns out that the inventor of wind up radios wasn’t just looking for a way to give anglers and gardeners access to battery-free entertainment. He created his device to change the world and help people from developing companies get access to life-saving information.
Here’s the incredible story of the wind-up radio.
What is a wind-up radio, and how does it work?
A wind-up radio is a compact and simple device that doesn’t need batteries or access to an electrical outlet to play music. All you need to do to use this device is turn the crank on the side for a few minutes, and you can broadcast content for up to an hour.
Like any electrical appliance, radios require electricity to run. However, the difference between a crank radio and a conventional set is that wind-up products take their charge from a hand-powered generator within the device.
While most typical radios draw on the electricity from the grid or batteries for power, a #ClockworkRadio uses a magnet and a coil of copper wire to create a focused electromagnetic charge. The science is based on Faraday’s Law of Induction. This theory found that it’s possible to generate electricity by moving a wire through a magnetic field. The charge you build by cranking the radio powers the various components of the set, allowing it to pick up signals and transmit sound.
The same theory used for this unique #RadioDesign also appears in the huge turbines used to transform wind power into energy today. The wind blows the turbines, which acts like a giant crank, creating energy to be stored for later use.
Why did Trevor Baylis invent wind up radio?
Hand-powered generators, like the ones that power a #CrankRadio, have been around since the 1960s. In that time, these devices were common in the military, providing a way for people on the front-line to communicate. However, in 1831, scientist Michael Faraday discovered how to collect power generated by a hand crank and use it to deliver ongoing charge to a device.
Faraday’s principle of Electromagnetic Induction paved the way for Trevor Baylis to create the world’s first wind-up radio. Baylis revealed that the idea for a clockwork radio first came to him when he was watching a show on the spread of the AIDS disease in Africa. The documentary revealed that most of the country couldn’t access electricity, and therefore couldn’t share information about how to stop the spread of the disease and stay healthy.
Baylis began work on a prototype for the wind-up radio straight away, inspired by old-fashioned wind-up record players. He eventually came up with the design for the BayGen Freeplay Radio, which earned Baylis numerous awards over the years.
The incredible benefits of wind up radio
#TrevorBaylis delivered numerous inventions to the world over the years, including shoes that could create an electric charge, and endless products for people with disabilities. However, the wind up radio was arguably the most significant contribution he made to the world.
Today, the wind up radio isn’t just a way for people to access their favourite shows and music when they don’t have batteries or a plug outlet available. These reliable devices are a lifeline for countries that don’t have any other way to share and gather information.
Since the original prototype of the clockwork radio, there have been countless updates to the technology. Many of the devices available on the market today also come with solar panels and batteries where energy can be stored for later use. However, without Baylis, the industry never would have been pushed into thinking about radio design from a sustainable, and more accessible perspective.
Baylis created a radio that didn’t need power from batteries or the grid to operate. In doing so, he transformed the future of radio design forever and changed the lives of thousands of people in developing countries. While the windup radio might not seem exciting in today’s digital landscape, it’s still one of the best things to come out of Britain, and one of the most powerful inventions in radio history. Read the full story here.
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