14 DAY TRIAL // That an echo of nature can be seen everywhere may be more than a metaphor in the case of the Electree, the latest concept that French designer Vivien Muller came up with.
One doesn't just see mother nature in every brick on the wall or the concrete that makes up most of the cities around the world.
Granted, there are specially-arranged green spaces, like parks, and streets often have a tree here and there, but it is a far cry from the idea of nature-technology blending.
As such, seeing something as 'natural' usually takes a bit of imagination on the part of the beholder, unless he's outdoors.
At homes, the closest to nature one can get is getting a pet or some potted plants, or both.
Apparently, French designed Vivien Muller wants the idea of nature to actually, and literally, meld with that of technology.
Surprisingly enough, the item chosen to depict this combination is one whose purpose is to recharge the batteries of gadgets.
Dubbed Electree, the item is, essentially, something resembling a bonsai, only with solar panels instead of leaves.
In total, there are 27 of those leaves and, to meet prospective customers' craving for customizability and aesthetic preferences, the 'branches' can be rotated.
As for the specifications, the solar panels can charge a 13,500mAh battery, the power possible to deliver through a concealed USB connector and A/C outlet.
Unlike other concept devices, this isn't just an idea doomed to be lost in obscurity, since Muller wants to turn it into a real, marketable product.
All that is required is for 400 presales to be made, after which mass production will cease being a dream, or so the designer hopes.
Prospective buyers will have to be willing to part with the sum of 269 Euro, which is the rough equivalent of $370. Orders can be placed here.