Beach mat charges phones, keeps drinks cool
A university student has designed a new eco-friendly mat to help beach-goers charge their phone and keep their beverages chilled while sunbathing.
With a five-watt solar panel and a built-in thermal fridge, 23-yearold Antoine Sayah from Lebanon has designed Beachill, a waterproof fabric mat.
Sold for US$150 (NZ$235), Beachill is lightweight and easily carried, coming with an internal pocket for a book or other small belongings.
During his university project, Sayah’s initial intention was to find ways to tackle some of the issues that bothered him while on the beach.
After advertising his product on social media, Sayah sold 60 in just two weeks and has received interest from across the world.
‘‘When I started developing the project, I thought only people in Lebanon will see it and that will be it. Then I was surprised by the high demand coming from all around the world; I got phone calls from Brazil, Toronto, all Europe, especially France, America, from all continents, Africa and even from Congo.
‘‘I wasn’t expecting this. I was so happy to know it was something bigger than just an Instagram post. On the contrary, it is now a product that is in high demand with people asking for it from around the world, and I am now trying to develop the production so I can serve everyone,’’ he added.
Sayah, who has a degree in product design from Italy, is studying architecture at Lebanon’s University Saint-Esprit de Kaslik where he presented his invention.
He and his team can produce up to 10 Beachills a day, which is still not enough to meet the growing demand for the product.
While he looks for investors to expand his business, Sayah says his main obstacle for further improvement is the lack of government financial support.
Despite it being originally designed for beach needs, Sayah says his product can also be used in gardens, pools, boats, camping, and other outdoor spaces.