Photography and Reporting by Deb Aldrich

Winning the Best of Innovations Award for CES in the Eco-Design and Sustainable Technology Category was JOOS Orange Personal Solar Charger. Designed to charge all personal electronic devices including cell phones, smart phones, GPS devices, etc., JOOS Orange Personal Solar Charger has a thin, rectangular shape and weighs about 1.5 pounds. It's also the only portable solar charger that will charge an iPad. Adjustable legs make it easy to point toward the sun and the durable, waterproof design ensures that it can withstand not only the hiking trail, but the line at the airport! As Warren Satler, CEO explains, the product was "designed by a village." It was initially envisioned as a technology product for emerging markets vs. the mainstream consumer market. As such, Solar Components focused primarily on the technology. As the product evolved, mechanical designer, Bruno Richet and electrical designer, David Blau knew it would be imperative to work with an industrial design team. They selected Mike & Maaike, the San Francisco-based, progressive industrial design studio led by Mike Simonian and Maaike Evers to add their expertise to the product design. Tom Crabtree of Manual San Francisco created the product name, designed the branding and the look and feel of JOOS Orange. That's one smart village.