The Zone

Coming to us in the not so far future is an umbrella thatnot only lights up when it rains but is also powered directly by the rain droplets that hit its surface. The Lightdrops umbrella designed by Sang-Kyun Park uses a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fabric which transforms the kinetic energy of the rain drops into electricity which powers LEDs on the underside of the umbrella. Previous piezoelectric fabrics couldn't cut it since they weren't waterproof but the new PVDF fabric promises us the heavier the rain, the brighter the light to shine our way.