The LuminAID solar light | Humanitarian Relief Aid

LuminAID co-founders Andrea and Anna

The LuminAID solar light was designed to fulfill the basic need for light in post-natural disaster situations shortly after the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. When thinking about what we could design to make a difference, we decided to focus on affordable, renewable light because it had the potential to greatly improve the comfort, safety, and survival of disaster victims.

While on a school trip to Japan, we unexpectedly found ourselves in the middle of the earthquake in March 2011. Having experienced first-hand how a disaster can negatively impact the lives of millions, we are motivated to make the LuminAID light a reality for those affected by disasters, crises, and conflict.

About the Founders: Anna Stork and Andrea Sreshta met while studying architecture and design in graduate school. They shared an interest in solar lighting technology and a common belief that design and design thinking can be used to solve problems at a global scale, including improving access to basic resources such as lighting and power.

Our Patent Pending Solar-Inflatable Technology

The solar-inflatable technology developed by LuminAID Lab is patent pending both in the US and internationally through multiple filings that cover a broad range of applications and uses. The LuminAID light is our first application of this technology. The product packs flat and inflates to diffuse the light like a lantern and reduce the glare of the extra bright LEDs. For every 8 small conventional flashlights by volume, you can pack and ship approximately 50 LuminAID Lights. The inflatable material is also printable with patterns and logos. For more information on this technology visit our page on Patents.

The LuminAID and Humanitarian Relief Aid

LuminAID’s goal is to make portable lighting a part of the supplies commonly sent as part of disaster relief aid. In addition to food, water, and shelter, light can greatly add to the well-being of victims of a natural disaster or crisis. Renewable lighting can aid those in situations where batteries are scarce and the electricity grid is disabled both immediately after a disaster and over an extended period of time. Over the past year, our company has put lights on the ground in the wake of disasters such as Hurricane Isaac in Haiti and Hurricane Sandy.

The LuminAID solar light | Humanitarian Relief Aid