A new device to harvest sunlight has been developed in Singapore

Designed at the Nanyang University of Technology, the device is efficient and straightforward.

Generally, sunlight harvesters are very impressive in size. This is owing to the large mirrors that make up an essential part of this type of device. Since the sun shines on one side or the other during the day, the structure must also rotate making it impractical in dense urban environments.

Singapore's invention is entirely devoid of these drawbacks: it is small, quite effective. . A platform with a light receiver is the only part that rotates after the sun. The device is a transparent acrylic ball with a fibre-optic cable connected to transmit the light. It also has a unique hood to protect it from bad weather.

The exact specifications of the device are currently unknown. Still, the performance of this light source is on par with its larger counterparts. The developers are now creating a commercial version of the device.