Sunflowers are nice and all, but over in Dubai everything’s got to be bigger and better. Even the flora-inspired solar arrays.
Recently, the city installed its first Smart Palm. Its broad leaves have solar cells on the top, just like James Cameron’s solar sunflowers. But the Smart Palm doesn’t stop at merely producing power. It’s got a few other tricks up its sleeve.
Because of its size, the Palm also provides a decent amount of shade — handy for passersby who want to get out of the blazing Persian sun and rest for a few minutes. Speaking of rest, there’s also a bench connected to the palm where you can take a load off.
In addition to being able to recharge yourself, you can also recharge your devices thanks to the Smart Palm. Built in to the seating area is a charging station, which D Idea (the company behind the Palm) says is capable of replenishing batteries 2.5 times faster than your home charger. Presumably they’re pushing DC like your car, rather than AC like your wall outlets.
While you charge your phone back up, you can also surf the Internet using the Smart Palm’s free Wi-Fi. It’s got a range of about 100 meters, so it covers a whole lot more area than just the nearby hexagonal bench. But wait… there’s more!
Smart Palms also feature integrated digital signage and can serve up all kinds of information about Dubai. They’re also fitted with 360º infrared cameras and a panic button to help keep users safe.
There are only two Smart Palms installed in Dubai right now, but eventually there will be a veritable forest. When the project is complete, there will be more than a hundred of these high-tech trees “planted” around the city.
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