Pune innovator’s Rs. 400 ‘solar cap’ designed to keep you cool in the sun

Vivek Bhatia's thinking cap has the right fit and he seems to wear it innovatively. In fact, the Pune-based entrepreneur has come up with a cool invention.

The 51-year-old has designed a solar cap that not only keeps your head shaded but has a fan to blow-dry those annoying droplets of sweat trickling down your face when the sun is high.

Cool deal: At Rs.400, Vivek Bhatia has already sold over 20,000 pieces of his 'solar cap'

Does it work? It would appear so. Since he announced the design in April, he has sold over 20,000 pieces at Rs.400 each.

Strictly speaking, he is not the first to dream it. But he has added value to an existing idea.

"Although similar solar fan caps are made by some Chinese manufacturers, my device has a solar panel that covers a larger area and, thus, generates more power for a better fan," says Bhatia. The fan helps in lowering the body temperature considerably."

The concept is simple.

"The solar panel converts solar energy into electricity and powers the fan," he says. "The fan's speed depends on the availability of sunlight. It runs at maximum power in full sun and slower when the sky is overcast."

Bhatia, who runs a small workshop in the Aundh area of Pune, said he had been working on the cap for a year.

"The blades of the fan are made of plastic and are completely safe," he said. "We have added a tiny switch that can be used to turn the fan on or off."

His firm Fuel Saver India makes them.

"My wife assists me in running the firm and helps me in packaging, dispatching and following up on orders," he said.

We know what drives the fan. But what drives Bhatia?

"The heat is at an all time high," he said. "At the same time, it is not possible for people to sit at home or in offices all day. Caps like these will give them some respite."

Clearly, there are no batteries involved. So how long will it last? "If taken proper care of, the cap will easily last seven years," he said.

"It does not demand much care and maintenance," he adds. "One only has to keep it in a safe place and not dump other items on it. The cap is functional even on partly cloudy days." - IANS