May 5, 2011 03:31 pm EDT

SOFT Rockers combine solar panels and moving furniture to charge your gadgets

Wander through MIT's Killian Court and you'll spot something distinctly modern nestled amongst its classical buildings -- a set of solar-powered lounge chairs called SOFT Rockers. These curved, solar-panel-covered seats rotate on an axis to keep them facing the sun, generating additional energy from the rocking motion created when people climb inside. All that harvested electricity can be used to recharge gadgets plugged into the three USB ports and to illuminate a light strip on the inside of the loop. The teardrop-shaped charging stations were created by professor Sheila Kennedy and a team of students for the Festival of Art+Science+Technology (FAST) as an antidote to "conventional 'hard' urban infrastructure." Plus, they seem like a great place to charge your phone while evading Dean Wormer and riding out double secret probation. Check out the gallery below for more images.

Gallery: SOFT Rocker

SOFT Rockers combine solar panels and moving furniture to charge your gadgets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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