A light in your bag.

No more scrabbling to find your keys - solar powered handbag has lining which lights up when unzipped.

Brunel University Design Student, Rosanna Kilfedder, age 24, has designed a solar powered handbag with a light up lining, so women can find keys and other vital but elusive items in their handbags quickly in the dark. The handbag's battery, powered by a solar cell outside the bag and also re-charges mobile phones.

How does it work?
The handbag, called Sun Trap, uses a solar cell to trap energy from sunlight, storing it in the bag's internal battery. When the bag is unzipped, the lining, powered by the battery and made from an electroluminescent material similar to that found in mobile phones, lights up helping them to find items lurking at the very bottom (i.e. house keys). The lining goes dark automatically as the zip is closed or switches off after 15 seconds to conserve battery if the bag is accidentally left open.
The internal battery also acts as a portable renewable energy source and can be used to charge mobile phones and similar devices.

Rosanna Kilfidder says: "I had the idea for Sun Trap handbag after seeing so many friends frantically searching their bags for house keys, usually on a dark doorstep. I also noticed friends using their mobile phones like torches to examine the contents of their bag, which gave me the idea of lighting up the bag. I was thinking about safety and usefulness and included a charger. I'd run out of mobile phone battery on several occasions (late at night) and thought this would be a good way round the problem. The design I've developed is just a prototype at the moment, but I'd really like to see it on the high street. I think it would be such a help to so many women."

Visit Rosanna's website to contact her.