Turbine-Powered Umbrella? A New 3D-Printed Hat Blasts Rain Away
With the basic aim of providing shade from the sun, the umbrella that we all know and love has been around for almost 4,000 years with its early use having links back to Egypt, Greece, and China. As you'd imagine, it hasn't gone through extensive design changes, as it simply works.
But for those with the mind of an engineer, the umbrella is long overdue for an update. Maker Ivan Miranda explains in this YouTube video that how he hates the rain and doesn't like carrying an umbrella, and as a result, he decided to engineer a motorized helmet with a powerful motor and a turbine to basically blast the rain away from his body.
The video goes through how he builds the umbrella hat starting by obtaining an impeller that will power the BLDC motor. The design goes through many trials and errors, and keep in mind that this can be a risky DIY project, because, if the 3D-printing procedure is executed incorrectly, someone could potentially fracture their skull while wearing it. You can see the turbine-powered umbrella hat in action in the video embedded above, and while there is some room for improvement, it's still entertaining. Enjoy!