Researchers from the Institute of Georgia (Georgia Insitute of Technology) in the United States, are creating energy through activities such as running or walking. This energy could charge a cell phone, music players and other devices in the future. Electronic devices are becoming smaller and more efficient but batteries not have been able to continue this progress, says Zhong Lin Wang, Professor of the Center for Nanostructure Characterization at this University. Researchers have developed a few made with zinc oxide Nanowires that are capable of general a field of electricity through the movement. Zinc oxide has some powerful piezoelectric that allow you to convert the metallic energy into electrical energy.

In laboratory tests, the researchers generated around 1.2 volts of power with just be touching a substrate with 700 lines of these Nanowires. A researcher of this project says that with just walking at a normal pace can produce 10 times more energy that just touch it. So far not so specific tests have been done, but the goal is to integrate this technology to music players and smart phones. The directors of this study expect to have prototypes for Bluetooth or other small devices in two or three years. In 5 years is expected to implement this technology to cell phones and be able to recharge them with just walking or running. With concerns that exist today, many companies are trying to get energy by using different tools.

For example, Intel is working on small sensors that can capture solar energy, or energy of the body heat that could help keep loaded small devices such as smart phones. At the moment there are some smaller devices such as watches that get energy from the heat of the human body. These technologies are still in development, but could be excellent alternatives in order to manage the energy of best way and thus does not depend on both of natural resources that we are running out.

« »