Called Wisp, the turbine measures just 14 inches (36cm) when folded and weighs 4lbs (1.8kg) but extends to a staggering 6ft tall (1.8 metres) when deployed.

It was created by Justin Chambers while he was a student at West Virginia University and last year it was successfully funded on Kickstarter.

Wisp is part of a range of wind turbines from Mr Chamber’s Windpax firm.

He has also designed one called Breeze, and another called Cyclone.

Wisp is designed to be used for a backup power supply in emergency situations.

It can power small electronic devices or run LED lighting and is recommended for camping trips, for example, because it can be hooked onto a tree, bus stop or bench.

The Breeze is designed for small villages and campsites.

It is slightly larger than Wisp, has a 100 Watt unit that is used to charge and supply power through a standard 12 volt outlet and standard USB.

It measures 22 inches (56 cm) when folded and extends to 10ft (3 metres) when deployed.

Meanwhile, Cyclone is the largest of the WindPax line at 400 Watts. It is primarily used as a village power station or power source and can also be collapsed and transported when needed. Other specifications have not been revealed.

Each of the wind turbines generate energy using plastic fins that ‘cup’ the air to spin a built-in generator.

‘Your devices can be charged straight from the turbine, or you can charge the internal battery and power your devices on the go,’ explained Mr Chambers.

‘Our wind turbines easily telescope out, can be set up in under two minutes, and can generate power on the smallest of breezes, 24 hours a day.’

He added that, for safety reasons, the fins are made from flexible plastic that won’t injure someone as they walk by.

Mr Chambers was offering Kickstarter backers Wisp for $110 (£70) and Breeze for $225 (£145), however, he has stopped pre-orders for the time being as the devices will be launching in retail stores ‘soon’.

Prices will be set by the retailers.

Mai Linh