Need to Know
26 : 03 : 18

Japan – Automaker Nissan and their affiliate 4R Energy Corporation have unveiled Reborn Light, a sustainable street light utilising reused lithium-ion batteries taken from their range of electric vehicles (EVs).

Once the storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries falls below a certain level, they’re no longer able to serve their purpose in EVs. Nissan's initiative illustrates how these can be repurposed to create new forms of infrastructure, independent from the energy grid. Solar panels mounted at the top of the LED-powered lights absorb energy during the day to charge the battery for use after dark.

The Reborn Light is being targeted at communities who don't have access to mains electricity or have been decimated by natural disaster. 'Seventeen percent of the world’s population live without electricity,' the brand said in a statement. 'Reused EV battery and lighting have the potential to change the lives of people in Japan and the world.' The automaker plans to install the light in Namie, Japan, a town devastated by the 2011 Tohoku tsunami.

Mobility brands like Nissan are exploring how battery technology can be used to create new energy networks that are more efficient and flexible than their forebears.

US – Biotech company Wild Earth has developed a range of high-protein, meat-free pet food products made from human-grade Koji, an environmentally friendly and renewably sourced fungi. The brand has used the ingredient to create a dry kibble for dogs, with a wet, canned food also in development.

Co-founder Ryan Bethencourt, an investor in cellular agriculture firm Finless Foods, has also indicated that the brand is working on a cat food product made from cultured mouse cells.

Researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles and the University of Sydney, Australia, have found that the consumption of meat by dogs and cats in the US contributes to around 25-30% of the country’s environmental impact from animal production.

As consumers become increasingly concerned over the environmental impact of their own eating habits, this desire for food that better aligns with their ethical, environmental and societal concerns is being translated into the products they purchase for their pets.

US – Created by Dr Rosenberg and Dr Fi-Frazier, specialists in young adult oncology at Seattle’s Children’s Hospital, the PRISM program (Promoting Resilience in Stress Management) is an emotional wellbeing app designed to help young patients build resilience and manage stress in the face of serious conditions.

The app helps cronically ill children develop skills in four areas: stress management and mindfulness, goal setting and problem solving, positive reappraisals, and finding meaning in adversity. PRISM allows patients to act as their own facilitator, prompting them to reflect on their experiences and engage in honest expressions of emotion with an openness that might not be forthcoming in conversation with a practitioner.

Brands are increasingly exploring the potential for app-based therapies to help consumers tackle mental health issues without the intervention of a medical professional.

The number of consumers willing to use Amazon’s in-home delivery service Amazon Key sits at just 31%, according to a recent survey conducted by InsuranceQuotes.

Available exclusively for Prime Members, the service grants delivery drivers access to your home with a one-time-use code. Homeowners can then monitor the courier's activities using a camera that comes as part of the Amazon Key kit. The same survey revealed that 23.4% of Amazon Prime members have had a delivery package stolen in the past, providing plenty of justification for adopting Amazon's new service. However, it seems this pain point isn't yet sufficient for most members to let third parties enter their homes without them being present.

As we explore in our recent Subconscious Commerce macro trend, brands are using IoT devices to gain greater access to consumers' private lives. Brands need to consider how this intimacy shift can make or break customer relationships. For more information on how to adapt to this trend, get in touch.