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Using Vibrations as a Power Source
FnH writes "The Inquirer is reporting that Hitachi has developed a technology capable of generating electricity from natural vibrations. While the amount of electricity generated is small, it could be used in sensors to relay data wirelessly to a computer."
Then again, let's not...
This article made me think "hey, what about regerative shock absorbers?" Not "natural vibrations", but anyway ... it was being studied (PDF), as of 2001 anyway. That paper says that based on experiments, "the average vehicle on the average road driving at 45 mph might be able to recover up to 70% of the power that is needed for such a vehicle to travel on a smooth road at 45 mph". Anyone know of more current research or implementation plans?
For all the ladies reading slashdot:
In Soviet Russia, power source makes vibrations for YOU!
The article doesnt go into details... but what if we start to mass produce them? Would my computer fan emit enough vibration to get some energy? What about hearthbeats?
Could we put some of them under the most used roads or on wind mills? (spinning would emit vibrations, the wind too).
I'm pretty sure that even if they dont produce much energy, a LOT of them would produce a lot of energy, vibrations are waves and they can go through a lot of those devices before beign too weak to produce any energy.
Technicly this is a dup of a previous technology.
It isn't a lie if you belive it.
Ever see a self-winding watch? Usually they use an off-center weight that spins around to wind a spring. Saw one 8 years ago that spun a magnet through a coil of wire to charge a capacitor. Neat stuff, but you have to wear the watch every day or it will wind down.
There are already motion detectors and orientation arrays (for example the clasic ball in a cage). Why would one that creates electricity be of any use? Not to mention what would it be useful for since any vibration would set it off (maybe nice for blinking lights or letting the computer know you are moving the drawing pen for you digital drawing pad, but what else?) That comment about putting them under roads is great, but how about IN cars and busses? Line the frame and they could create a load of energy. These can be used in addition to any current way of getting energy (coal-burnning plants have huge turbines that create both a lot of sound and shaking, perfect for these). You could even go so far as to line walls with them and sell it as a light energy saver and noice reducer. Hook it into the main and it will help to reduce energy useage, heck if it makes enough you could even sell off the extrea to the power company :)
The only problem is making them efficent and durable enough to be worth the price and produce large enough amounts of electricity to be worth using.
The Hitachi Magic Wand is, of course, "the cadillac of vibrators". Go Hitachi!
Heeere, kitty, kitty...
This is soo old news. This vibrations-to-power technoogy was already on the market in 2002 in self-powered structural integrity systems in tennis rackets. A similar system is used in some makes of snow skis to help dampen vibrations.
Newer news was is Science News in August 9, 2003 in "Electric Foam" (sorry, I don't have a link to the full text). Its a way to make piezoelectric polypropylene foam. Although the material needs more development (it losses its piezoelectric properties at temperatures that might occur in a car glove box), the new foam could expand the use piezoelectric materials in consumer products.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
Back when I was a cub scout (about 40 years ago), we ran a 50 foot wire and a ground connection. Connected them to a neon bulb and it lit up.
What's happening, if it isn't obvious, is that the radio signals broadcast all over the place are being "harvested" by the wire (antenna).
Forty years later, there's so much more RF (cell phones, cordless phones, 802.11, more radio stations, leakage from power lines, etc.), you could probably get the same effect with a 10 foot wire, especially in urban areas.
The wire can be (at least partially) coiled so it doesn't take as much space. It can also be "tuned" (trimmed to a specific length) to optimize signal reception. With a small capacitor to smooth fluctuations, you have more than enough power for micro-electronic devices.
Can You Say Linux? I Knew That You Could.
Even a century ago people were building clocks that were powered by changes in air pressure. My alpine skis have LEDs mounted in them that are powered by peizo vibrations. And think geek sells a faraday flashlight powered by shaking it.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.