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Tiny ARM-Based Sensor System Makes Battery Replacement Obsolete

Posted by timothy on from the transcend-batteries dept.

An anonymous reader writes "University of Michigan researchers have crammed an ARM Cortex microcontroller, a thin-film battery, and a solar cell into a package that is only 9 cubic millimeters in volume. The system is able to run perpetually by periodically recharging the on-board battery with a solar cell (neglecting physical wear-out of the system)."

6 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. So let me see if I get this straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If we ignore wear-out, battery replacement is obsolete.

    Uh hum.

  2. Re:THIS is how you get "infinite" battery life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Never had one of those nifty solar calculators?

  3. Re:neglecting physical wear-out by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dude, time to step out of Mom's basement!

  4. Re:THIS is how you get "infinite" battery life by nicknamenotavailable · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Batteries have a limiting lifespan.

    If they used a capacitor instead, this device would run virtually forever.

    Place this in a solid glass marble, and it might last forever too.

  5. Solar Geek device is doomed to failure. by Kenja · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Day Star burns us, we dont care that it can recharge our toys. We're still not going outside.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  6. Oh God by TopSpin · · Score: 5, Funny

    then you toss away the tiny thing

    Right. So it goes from some interior space where light is good, but not daylight, to some landfill where it is exposed to the Sun. What was 'worn out' now has an abundance of photons and reactivates. It's not happy about ending up in Fresh Kills with the other 500,000 discarded and reanimated sensors. Eventually they unify into a vast, angry landfill monster and wade across the water to crush New York.

    Please do not contribute to garbage self-awareness.

    --
    Lurking at the bottom of the gravity well, getting old