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Soon, we may all be able to charge our phones by simply plugging it into our shoe. The technology could be footwear-embedded and harvest energy that can be stored for later use. This footwear-energy technology could be especially useful for the military, for soldiers currently carry heavy batteries to power all of their mobile devices. Also, this technology could provide a power source to people who live in remote areas and do not have a reliable power grid. Theoretically, 10 watts of energy can be produced per shoe, which can actually be a lot when compared to energy use of small mobile devices: cell phones need only about 2 watts. To convert mechanical motion into electrical energy, researchers attempted to use the reverse electrowetting approach. In this approach, a conductive liquid interacts with a nano-film coated surface and creates electricity. However, for this to work, the liquid has to be moving with high frequency, which would not be quick enough with simple walking. So. researcher developed the "bubbler." In the "bubbler," two plates are separated by a small gap filled with conductive liquid. The bottom plates has tiny holes from which small gas particles can form. Bubbles are developed that reach the top plate and then pop, swishing around the conductive fluid within the gap. The quick speed of all this delivers the high frequency needed to generate sufficient power while walking. In theory, 10 kilowatts per square meter may be generated with this technology. I find this issue of particular importance because this may be yet another source of electricity that can help to reduce our carbon footprint (pun intended). As mentioned previously, this technology could help our military by preventing soldiers from carrying heavy batteries. With this type of energy source, people would be able to charge their mobile devices without having to tap into the electrical grid, thereby reducing our reliance on it and helping us to manage our energy use more responsibly. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160211090238.htm
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AuthorI'm Angel Archives
April 2016
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