If a person is stranded on an island, there are several factors to consider when selecting the one modern item that would guarantee their survival. For instance, the individual should first figure out the location of the island. Once this is done, they should strive to understand the geographical conditions of the area. With all these in mind, the most appropriate item will be a solar powered flashlight. This item, despite having a few challenges such as keeping it functional, is easy to carry, can be powered by solar energy and able to illuminate objects that are far away.
Firstly, solar powered flashlight, specifically one featuring LED light, is easy to carry. This is necessary when moving around with the intention of familiarizing with the area. Therefore, with a solar-powered flashlight, the issue of fatigue will not arise. Similarly, the modern item has the ability to provide high level of illumination on objects up to 50 meters away, making it easier to spot an enemy or dangerous animal (Padmini and Shafeulwara 12). Additionally, a beam of light from this flashlight will be visible for a much longer distance.–this could be used to seek help from passing ships or boats.
Secondly, solar powered flashlight is the best choice because it can be powered by solar energy. This means that it can be charged using the natural sunlight. Once charging is complete, the chemical energy will be stored in the batteries during the day which, at night, get converted into electrical energy and stored in a lithium polymer power pack (Padmini and Shafeulwara 12). This is necessary because sometimes an individual may be required to walk for long hours in search of food and water.
Although this item will be helpful in many ways, there are several issues that might arise while trying to keep it functional. Firstly, since it is solar-energy dependant, one will most likely encounter difficulties in case there is no power. In fact, surviving a single night without a source of light may be difficult, especially during emergencies. It is important to note that the light output and run time is dependent on the amount of light absorbed during day time. Therefore, if only little amount of solar is absorbed during the day –the run time at night will significantly be reduced.
Another issue that might arise while trying to keep solar power flashlight functional relate to heavy rains – it is near impossible to try and prevent it from getting wet. This situation can get worse in the event it rains at night. Even if the flashlight is waterproof, it is imperative to try and protect it from water because no one expects their only item for survival to malfunction. The challenge that an individual will most likely encounter is that the flashlight may fail to power-on. This can easily happen because solar powered flashlight is technology dependant – technology can sometime fail.
Overall, solar powered flashlight is an ideal modern item because it uses an external energy source which is available to everyone. Once fully charged, the solar powered flashlight will play an important role of ensuring one is able to navigate all the challenges that might arise at night. While there are several issues that will emerge when using solar powered flashlight, they are less impactful compared to its overall benefits.
Work Cited
Padmini, S., and Shafeulwara, Md.”Solar-Powered Multipurpose Backpack.”International Conference on Intelligent Computing and Applications. Springer, Singapore, 2019.