Hello Everyone,
A proper unboxing is needed for such a great product and kit. But I will go with the others that since we already have a unboxing video from Wojciech Gelmuda, all of our kits look the same and I will focus on other details as everyone has.
This kit has impressed me more than any other product I have had the opportunity to Roadtest or use. The way the kit was packaged was finally what we have all dreamed of. A kit/board that needs no involvement whatsoever! You simply open the lid to the kit and the device immediately turns on from the solar harvesting circuit fed from the small solar panel.
As everyone has seen from the other members posts, this device has 4 of the best ways of energy harvesting. Solar, TEG, Diode Drop, and Piezoelectric are the ways that you can harvest energy with this kit.
1.) Solar is very self explanatory..The Solar Panel powers the Solar harvesting circuit when the proper jumper is in place.
2.) TEG is a little more complicated but the kit makes the technology overly simple. Simply place your hand or other warm object on the Thermal Electric Generator and with the proper jumper in place the Giant Gecko board within a few seconds powers on easily.
3.) The Diode Drop is a very easy device as well but can be complicated. As long as you either have a diode or use a 4 to 20 mA transducer it will work easily.
4.) The Piezoelectric harvester is probably the most complicated for the beginning user of this kit. The concept and the use of the Piezoelectric harvester is easy to understand its function and its use but for most I am making an assumption that they will not know where to find a Piezoelectric crystal to use with this kit. The kit should have included a small Piezoelectric disc just for the concept of how it would work but like the others have said it would make the kit cost way too much so I agree with why the Piezoelectric disc or device wasn't included.
The easiest way to obtain a Piezoelectric crystal is to go to the dollar store or a store that would sell a musical card. Some ways to find out without destroying the musical card are on the Internet. You want to make sure your keys don't stick to the card because then it is not a piezoelectric device, it is a magnet. In the dollar store you can purchase a small door alarm for a $1 US. These all have piezoelectric crystals and it comes with the perfect holder. I will explain in detail in the next post on how to obtain the piezoelectric crystal from this device and then show how to use it to light up an LED.
For now here is the Elaborate kit!!
Inside the Kit
Showing off the LCD through the top of the Case while harvesting the light in the Solar Cell
Different Features of the Harvesting Board
Features of the Giant Gecko Starter Kit
Inside the Lid of the Kit with cutouts for the LCD and Solar Cell
QR Codes to Read more about each Energy Harvesting Chip
Thank you!