Collegiate Times

"There is no way to make this work right now, but technology is evolving, and frequently we handle things that are ahead of their time," Reed said. "I'm actually talking with someone who has a factory in China who says he has engineers he's going to put on it, and they'll solve the problems that people are complaining to us about, so we'll see."

Robert Dunay, a professor of Architecture and Director of Industrial Design Architecture, said that the attention across the nation about Gravia is important to the project's mission.

"It's getting a lot of reaction now I think across the country," Dunay said. "Actually, in that regard, it's been a successful project, because what it's really designed to do is activate a lot of interest and dialogue about energy and how we use it in our daily lives."

Moulton stated that he has always been interested in aiding the environment.

"I came to the realization that the method of design can solve some of these harder questions," Moulton said. "What do we do when we find out that we're a little bit at a time ruining the environment? I think design can certainly make a huge difference, and once I realized that, now I can feel really good about trying to contribute to that."

Moulton is currently doing freelance work for a small start-up company that develops 100 percent organic dolls for kids. A patent is pending on Gravia.  

"I showed the idea to Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, and they thought it was a pretty novel mechanism," Moulton said. "They kind of took it from there, and they said, 'Let's go for it. It's novel and interesting, and it could be a neat way to power small-scale electronic devices.'"

Reed said the patent her office applied for is for more than just Gravia, but "a method for generating small amounts of electricity for low-wattage usage." She said she has been "inundated" with letters from people worldwide who wanted to get their hands on the lamp, including two different people who are developing "green" hotels. Some people think the design is beautiful, while she has also received e-mails from third world country residents who are trying to "develop means of generating light in areas where there is no electricity and there won't be for a long time".

"I could have sold thousands out of my office here in the last few days," Reed said. "There's a huge pent-up need for ways to generate light that don't require plugging a cord into the wall." 

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