Did you ever consider generating your own electricity? Maybe you would like to cut down on your electricity bills? If you want to know more about how you can generate electricity while exercising, then pop over to Science in the City on Friday 27th September from 6pm onwards.

At the Upper Barrakka Gardens, visitors have an opportunity to participate and peddle on a bike and generate instant electricity.  An interactive installation ‘Light Up my House’ by architecture student Lyanne Mifsud aims to set right the value of electricity by comparing it to peddle power.

Light fittings and home appliances will be connected to the bicycles and stationed along the installation, bearing a resemblance to a fitness challenge. The going gets tough with the appliances that generate heat, like making a cup of coffee. On the 27^th visitors can generate power to work a popcorn machine and a kettle.

“Pedal power is fun and can generate an amount of electricity. Yet, sourcing energy from peddle power for large amounts are no easy task. It takes 600 bicycles to power up a family household for 24 hours,” says Lyanne Mifsud.

Peddle power is a source of energy that was used even during WWII. During this period, the Navy personnel used to power a radio transmitter with pedal power.

Near this house, biomedical engineers from the University of Malta will be on site to display their latest research. From moving cursors on screens with just your eyes to moving objects with your thoughts (via a computer) their work will surely interest everyone.

The project ‘Light Up my House’ at UpperBarrakkaGardens will run until Notte Bianca on the 5th October. The installation has been sponsored by Alberta Fire and Security, Logografix and The Cyclist, Malta. Follow ‘Light up my house’ Facebook page on: https://www.facebook.com/events/681092541919829/685397188156031/?notif_t=like

Science in the City festival forms part of the EU-wide celebration called Researchers’ Night on the 27th September 2013. The public is invited to participate in several innovative and entertaining activities of science and science –inspired art.

The programme can be downloaded from www.scienceinthecity.org.mt or festival updates followed on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ScienceInTheCityMalta

The “Researchers’ Night – Science in the City” festival is organised by a consortium of national organisations that is led by the University of Malta Research Trust, and the Malta Chamber of Scientists. The partners are MCST, Where’s Everybody Ltd, Valletta Local Council, MEUSAC, the Public Broadcasting Services Ltd, MCAST, iCreatemotion, the EC Representation in Malta, the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, Notte Bianca, Valletta 2018 Foundation, Malta Chamber of Pharmacists, King’s Own Philharmonic Society and St James Cavalier. The project is supported by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sports, Vodafone and Microsoft Innovation Centre.

 The festival is co-funded by a competitive award from the EU’s FP7 Programme and the Malta Arts Fund.