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Lucy the Mood Boosting Solar Powered Robot

Seasonal affective disorder – commonly referred to as SAD – is a debilitating state of depression related to the seasonal disappearance of sunlight during the autumn and fall and winter months. Sufferers can feel lethargic and depressed, alongside battle sleeping issues. Solenica CEO Diva Tommei succumbed to this very condition herself while attending Cambridge University, inspiring her to design Lucy, a solar powered robot designed to offer a literal ray of hope for SAD sufferers.

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Completely solar powered, Lucy’s 100% weatherproof sphere houses a highly reflective mirror designed to automatically track the movement of the sun throughout the day using an array of photosensors, adjusting the reflected beam of sunshine to a set point for up to 7,000 lumens of mood-enhancing light. And because the mirror is flat, the reflected sunlight is dispersed rather than magnified, creating a more even spread of light.

For those living in dark apartments, with sunlight deprived houseplants, or with rooms without a window nearby, this low maintenance device could be a game changer, especially since Lucy doesn’t require to be plugged in, and can be placed near a window or even outside to reflect light across and inward into normally darkened corners.

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Solencia is currently available for pre-order for $199, and will ship with an accompanying app that will tell users about your home’s illumination needs, including measuring an interior’s Brightness Index to help optimize the device’s impact. More details at the Solencia website.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.