INNOVATIVE TECH
July/August 2019 | Residential Tech Today 61
Kaito Electronics’ KA500 ($49.95) won’t jumpstart
your car, but this portable radio will keep you alerted to
severe weather conditions in the area with its built-in
NOAA Alert function. The KA500 can also receive
broadcasts from AM, FM, short wave, and seven preprogrammed
NOAA weather stations. It includes a
five-LED flashlight/reading lamp and a USB port for
charging other devices. The built-in Ni-MH battery pack
can be recharged using the unit’s dynamo hand crank, a
standard USB charger, or the unit’s 180-degree
adjustable solar panel. The KA500 can also be powered
by three AA batteries or an optional AC adapter.
I’ll Drink to That
The DHS recommends that your disaster supplies kit
includes at least one gallon of water per person per day
for at least three days to be used for drinking and
sanitation – but that’s a bare minimum. Unfortunately,
until somebody invents a powdered alternative, liquid
water is bulky, heavy, and cumbersome to transport,
especially if you’re traveling or with a group. The
Platypus GravityWorks 2.0L Complete Kit ($99.95) is a
pump-free, ultralight system that can filter up to 1.5 liters
of water a minute. That’s enough filtered water, the
company estimates, for up to four people “on
backpacking, hiking, and backcountry trips.” (That’s one
way to keep your sanity during a disaster. Tell yourself
it’s a spur-of-the-moment camping trip…)
After filtration, you can kill any gut-busting stuff that
might remain with the help of the Steripen Ultra UV
water purifier ($109.95). Steripen says that the easily
carried handheld device emits ultraviolet (UV-C) light
rays that can “safely purify clear water by destroying 99.9
percent of protozoa (including Giardia and
Cryptosporidia), bacteria, and even viruses.” The small
OLED screen on the front of the Steripen Ultra UV even
lights up with a smile to let you know the water is safe to
drink. The built-in UV lamp is designed for up to 8,000
treatments, and the Steripen Ultra internal lithium
battery can be recharged from any standard USB power
source.
At first glance, it’s doubtful something called a “smart
mug” would find its way onto anyone’s list of useful
survival tech gear. Yet, although the Cauldryn Fyre
Mobile 2.0 Smart Mug ($149.99) looks like a souped-up
insulated travel tumbler with its built-in LCD screen that
displays the internal temperature and up/down
adjustment buttons, it’s actually a mobile, modular,
personal survival kitchen. The basic unit includes a
rechargeable battery and a removable (for easy cleaning)
heating element that can keep the Cauldryn Fyre Mobile
2.0’s contents anywhere between room temperature and
boiling for up to 20 hours. The company says the smart
Kaito Electronics’ KA500 portable radio will
keep you alerted to severe weather conditions
in the area with its built-in NOAA Alert function.
JumpSmart combines a 330 Lumen flashlight, a
37,000 mWh jump starter, and a 2.4A output for
USB charging.