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Self-Powered Parts Are the Future
bossanovalithium writes that an umbrella group including Japanese heavyweights like Panasonic and Toyota is working on bringing the price of self powered parts down to levels where they can be mass produced: "The idea is that the parts will make external power sources redundant — because they can convert energy from body heat, light and vibrations straight into electricity. Self powered electronics have already sporadically been used in technology like wall-mount remote control units for air conditioners, says Nikkei, but existing parts are bulky and cost a couple thousand yen a piece. 3,000 yen is about $35 — which means they're not the best bet, financially, yet."
I can't wait to see all the iPhone 5 owners shaking their phones to power them all the while gripping them with two fingers to keep a decent reception. This is exactly how I envisioned the future.
Things that don't need a lot of power yet are always in movement and/or attached to the body? The only thing that meets that criteria is a watch. They've been self-winding for decades.
If there's enough power in the environment to power useful electronic devices above the level of a watch or a remote (that's used maybe twice a day), then we'd be on fire.
Nothing to see here. This is about as useful as a Space Nutter thread.
The story is not about a magical new source of infinite energy. It's about not having to build, integrate, connect and maintain an external power supply.
it reminds me of those clocks that draw mechanical power from changes in temperature and air pressure. If I recall correctly, the reason they never caught on is because people were prone to moving them so much, which caused mechanical failures galore.
"People don't want to learn linux" hasn't been a valid excuse since '03.
I can see it now. Dropping the remote to my TV will soon be necessary for proper function which is certainly a step up. Currently, when the remote is dropped, I have spend 5 minutes hunting for the batteries that have fallen out and fallen under the couch.
So the Umbrella Corporation from Japan is conducting experiments to convert human energy into electricity?
Yeah, this will end well.
(Then again - if we end up with a Milla v. Carrie-Ann Moss girl-on-girl scene, who am I to complain?)
There are plenty of things operating in hot, noisy environments that could use that power. There's a ton of power in those environments, enough to replace the external power source (FTA, more or less). Though, strictly speaking, the most successful of these will probably not be power sources, exactly. They will be engines for removing entropy from a system (e.g. hot air -> geometric mesh -> sound -> electricity).
I thought it was funny, so you're wrong there.
They aren't the future. They're just another niche product that makes sense for a few particular applications.
And here I've been hearing 'children are the future'. Those little bastards make noise, eat food, get sick and all kinds of annoyances. So good to know we'll have parts instead of children.
Wait a second. These wouldn't happen to be *children* parts, would they? Low maintenance is great, but self-assembly? It'd take away the only fun part about them -- making 'em.
"I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B
...an umbrella group...
Anyone else read that and immediately think of zombies?
"Work is the curse of the drinking classes." -Oscar Wilde
Why does an umbrella need energy in the first place? You just unfold it by hand!
The most activity seems to be in making the illumination better. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium_illumination if you like to be irradiated. But that is more tweaking and old idea.
Saying anyone will be "irradiated" by tritium is awfully close to fear-mongering. The radiation of tritium outside any packaging is stopped by six millimetres of air. In other words, you have to break the container in your mouth to get irradiated - the radiation cannot penetrate the dead outermost layer of your skin.
Of course, being irradiated isn't so bad. After all, our body irradiates itself 8000 times every second: http://rerowland.com/BodyActivity.htm
I was told if you get a large, sealed tub, you can drop dirty clothes, soap, and water in before you road trip and after a certain amount of time the agitation inside the tub will scrub your clothes clean. I haven't tried this yet but once I get my old diesel rabbit running again maybe ill just leave the old shocks on there and try it out.
you don't eat crackers in the bed of your future--or else you'll get all scratchy
No, they would be the Wrong Trousers.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
Mechanical watches are innefficient. Digital watches can be self powered very easily - solar digital watches were $10 a piece a while ago - it's just that they dont look very good.
Just like digital watches, electronic sensors can be built with low enough power to make it practical.
That's just great. Then people will never have any excuse to ever put any of that crap down and be disconnected from the virtual world while the devices recharge.
So you just described the plot to Vernor Vinge's book Rainbows End.
Well self powered devices like AR contacts weren't exactly the main part of the plot but it was a big part of it.
"I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
-Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
At this rate we're going to evolve dicks that suck themselves before we get flying cars.
Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
An extra burger? That's funny. Most people on this continent don't need extra food they need extra exercise; the motion of which will power the device.
> an umbrella group [...] working on [...] self powered parts
I suppose they're looking at using something called a T-bacterium in their components ?
What a depressingly stupid machine.
Adding a large tub full of water to your car probably doesn't save any energy at all. If you do try this, see what it does to your gas mileage.
I'd rather you rationally disagree than irrationally agree.
Well, naturally you'd do the full-tub part on the downhill leg of your journey. You'd empty it before going back up hill.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
did i mention the rabbit is diesel powered? 55 mpg ftw!
you don't eat crackers in the bed of your future--or else you'll get all scratchy