Topic overview
Briefly
- Students built a solar-powered ambulance that runs on sunlight.
- It can travel up to 715 km daily and power medical gear.
- No commercial production is planned yet.
What happened
A team of 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands has developed Stella Juva, a solar-powered ambulance that functions as a mobile clinic. The vehicle's roof is covered with high-efficiency solar cells made by AIKO, which generate electricity to drive the vehicle and power its medical equipment. The stored electricity ensures operation even when sunlight is limited, and under favorable conditions the ambulance can travel up to 715 kilometers in a day. The students separated the electrical system for driving from the one for medical equipment to prevent power loss during patient care. This innovation addresses unreliable electricity and limited access to healthcare in remote areas, but there are no plans for commercial production yet.
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