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Theoretical Shoe Inserts Could Power Your Gadgets
In his first accepted submission, Anon8---) writes "As published on nature.com, a process called electrowetting, 'in which a conductive liquid droplet, placed on an electrode, is physically deformed by an applied electric charge,' could be used to provide 10 watts of juice to smartphones and other gadgets as you walk. 'The technique depends on the use of a dielectric material — which is usually an insulator but that can be polarized in an electric field — to coat the electrode. When the dielectric is charged the droplet can wet the surface more easily, and deforms. In his system, Krupenkin runs this process backwards, using the changing physical form of liquid drops between dielectric-coated plates to generate charge and therefore electrical power.' So far, Krupenkin and Ashley Taylor have been able to produce a few milliwatts of power along tiny channels a few millimeters wide. They have patented the idea and are now concentrating on scaling up the device and designing a shoe to contain it."
...chargin'
one of these days these boots are gonna charge your gadgets too.
I can see this being used to get kids off their asses and at least moving around some.
Confiscate your child's phone charger, and make it so this is the only way they can charge said phone.
What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
Comedy in 21st Century America:
"Stop me if you've heard this one... disclaimer: this joke may be offensive to teachers, goats, bar owners, and priests... and to anyone related with or friends with, or otherwise associated with any of the above. Furthermore this joke involves subtle sexual innuendo. Anyone offended by sexual innuendo, especially that which involves teachers, goats, bar owners, and priests, may wish to refrain from listening to this joke. Furthermore, I wish to assure the audience that nothing in this joke is meant to imply support for any political ideology you may oppose, nor to imply opposition any political ideology you support... Now, as I was saying, a teacher and a priest walked into a bar..."