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Boston trying out solar-powered ‘smart benches’ in parks

MIT Media Lab spinoff Changing Environments invents high-tech "Soofa" benches.

Megan E. Irons, Globe Staff via The Boston Globe

The Changing Environments team on one of its benches in Boston. (Soofa.co)

We’ve all heard about smartphones. Now there are smart benches.

That is the idea behind a new Boston initiative which will bring “Soofas,” solar-powered benches, to the city.

The benches, to be located in various parks, will allow residents to take a load off their feet — while plugging in and recharging their cellphones.

“Your cellphone doesn’t just make phone calls, why should our benches just be seats?” Mayor Martin J. Walsh said in a statement Friday.

The high-tech benches were invented by MIT Media Lab spinoff Changing Environments, a Verizon Innovation Program.

Read the full article at The Boston Globe


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