A charging station on the Pike, located between the Garden Café and the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women and Newborns

For those who rely on smartphones and other electronic devices throughout the day, nothing strikes fear in one’s heart quite like the low-battery icon — especially when you’re on the go, with no charger on hand. At the Brigham, a new pilot project is helping to alleviate some of that battery-life anxiety.

The Materials Management team recently installed five portable charging stations in public areas throughout the Brigham’s main campus. Each station is equipped with six charging cords that are compatible with a variety of devices, including mobile phones and tablets. They can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and at no cost.

Using each station is simple: Find the right cord for your device, plug it in and wait for your device to charge (do not leave your device unattended). There is a counter-like platform on the top of the charging station where you can rest your device while the battery charges.Pete Linck, manager of Office Services, who helped get this pilot off the ground with his Materials Management colleagues, hopes many people find the stations useful.

Click to enlarge.

“Whether you’re coming to the Brigham for a planned visit or you find yourself at the hospital unexpectedly, we want to do everything we can to make sure you stay connected — at all times — while you’re here,” Linck said.

Patrick Lally, retail manager at the Brigham’s Shop on the Pike, who also helped launch the pilot, said many customers who’ve visited the shop over the years had recommended that the hospital install charging stations. He’s thrilled the stations are ready for use and looks forward to receiving feedback.Jonathan Santiago, director of Materials Management, said it has been fulfilling to witness the collaboration among his colleagues to get this pilot started. He said his team members are passionate about it because they understand that it’s about more than just keeping devices charged; it’s about ensuring that patients and their loved ones never have to worry about not being able to stay in touch.

“It’s one less stress they have to worry about,” Santiago said. “By providing these charging stations at high-traffic areas throughout the hospital, it adds to the exceptional care that patients and their loved ones experience at the Brigham.”

For questions and to submit feedback about the pilot, email BWHCellPhoneCharging@bwh.harvard.edu.