Solaris

Solaris is a modular solar powered lighting tile designed to stick to windows. The tile harvests energy from the sun and stores it in its integrated rechargeable battery. As the evening darkens, ambient light sensors in Solaris' angled solar cells switch on the LED lights within and the tiles will begin to shine like stars. The idea behind Solaris is to give the user the ability to create a mosaic on their window using several tiles connected together by magnets. This prototype uses recycled solar cells from other solar powered devices as well as off-cuts from acrylic plexiglass projects. The battery is rechargeable and can even be charged using an integrated battery charger to power the lights if sunlight is ever insufficient. A switch on the front face can turn the battery and lights on and off. The tiles are also designed to be easily taken apart, meaning components within can be replaced if needed. My design, Solaris, received $2,000 in funding from the UO Product Design Department as part of the 2022 AASFP Product Design Awards.