Have you ever gone out wanting to drink mate in the open air but had no way to heat the water? Well, that's over! A team of Argentine engineers has created a thermos that heats water with sunlight.
Mate is a traditional infusion in South American countries, especially Argentina, where it is consumed in large quantities. Christian Navntoft, an engineer and professor at the Universidad Nacional de San Martín in Buenos Aires, is someone who enjoys sharing mate with his friends. As you might know, mate is prepared with hot water, but what happens when you can't heat the water? That's when Navntoft and his team stepped in, creating a thermos that heats water with sunlight.
How It Works
After nine years of work and several prototypes, the thermos was named Solarmate (which translates from English as 'solar companion'), and it is developed with technology that harnesses solar energy. How does it work? Simply open the lid and fill it with water; release the supports to set the position and tilt. Open the wings halfway to heat the water, pointing directly at the sun. Leave it in that position and wait between thirty and sixty minutes, depending on the temperature you desire (the water inside Solarmate can reach up to 100°C). Once the water is hot, you can enjoy a delicious mate.
Availability and Future Plans
Last September 15, the first thousand units went on sale, generating an incredible positive response. In fact, countries like Chile, Uruguay, the United States, Israel, Switzerland, Bulgaria, England, and France are already interested in having their own Solarmate. Currently, another thousand units will be launched so that people can test it and share their opinions, in case modifications are needed. For the time being, the team already has a couple of improvements in mind, such as a temperature sensor connected to a mobile device to check the temperature from afar, although that will require more staff and funding. We hope they can achieve it. In the meantime, you can reserve your Solarmate by placing your order here.
