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Leech-Inspired 'Outlet Regulator' Unplugs Gizmos When Charged

by Matthew Zuras on February 17, 2010 at 02:30 PM


Know why we love design students? Because their energy and creativity seems so boundless that they frequently come up with products that make us scratch our heads, thinking, "Oh, duh, why didn't Phillips build this ages ago and make millions?" Case in point: Rhode Island School of Design student Conor Klein's Outlet Regulator. By now, many of us know that electronics left plugged into outlets, even when not on, still suck power and contribute to energy waste. Klein's Regulator is a brilliantly simple device that just unplugs itself when a gadget is fully charged.

Operating much like a leech, Outlet Regulator is basically a modified power strip with a built-in timer and what we imagine to be straightforward internal mechanics. When your gadget is charged, the plug just pops out of the base. (See a video demo after the break.) Genius! Where's the Red Dot Award for this guy? [From: Conor Klein, via: Technabob]

Tags: conor klein, ConorKlein, design, green, leech, outlet regulator, OutletRegulator, power strip, PowerStrip, risd, top

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