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This Saturday in Durham NC there will be a public build of hundreds of "bili-lights" -- low-cost phototherapy devices that treat infant jaundice, a condition which can lead to brain damage and even death if left untreated. The devices built will be distributed this July to areas of need in Central America and Africa.
Commercially manufactured bili-lights cost thousands of dollars and only work with high-quality AC power. The devices everyone will be building assembly-line style on Saturday cost about $60 to build, and can run off of intermittent and spiky power from generators or less reliable grids, thanks to a 12V battery.
It's a public event with free food, free coffee, no skills necessary-- three four-hour shifts, and you can sign up at http://www.mysignup.com/ewh . The event is being put on by Tackle Design, Inc. and Engineering World Health (Duke University) - Link.
If it hasn't been done yet, bili-lights based on Luxeon Royal Blue LEDs might be well suited here. The Royal Blue LED operates at a wavelength of 455nm+12.5nm which is right in the center of the prescribed wavelengths of Bili-Lights (420-470nm). The LEDs are well nigh indestructible, have 20,000-50,000hr lifetimes, are relatively cheap ($7 in quantities of 1) and run fine off of DC power using a Buck Boost driver.
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