A great example I learned of recently is the solar bottle bulb, developed by students at MIT in association with the Appropriate Technology Collaborative.   Check it out, it’s inspiring stuff.

Tasked with helping poor communities in developing countries through simple and appropriate innovation, they developed a solution for the millions of people in Manila who live in settlements so cramped that all natural light is blocked out of their homes.

The solar bottle bulb comprises a 1 litre soda bottle filled with a solution of purified water and bleach inserted into a hole drilled in the metal roof.  The water helps disperse the light through refraction, so the light is not concentrated and the solar bottle bulb can light up a room.

At a cost of $2 – $3 per bulb – it’s taking the Philippines by storm with the goal of installing the bulbs in 1 million homes by 2012.

What a fantastic way to dispel the common myth that innovation means new categories, new products and big bucks investment in leading edge technology – we can all learn from this!