A tiny generator that drives from vibes!
You guys know very well how hard it is to power devices where replacing batteries is extremely difficult. The low power miniature sensors and wireless sensor networks have been in the talks over the years. But, very little heed was paid to the issue of supplying the required electrical power to such sensors.
Now, some scientists at the University of Southampton, UK, have devised a tiny generator, which is power-driven by natural vibrations. This generator is being touted as a neat solution to power devices where replacing batteries is very difficult. The new device could help keep pacemakers working using heart's beating.
Powered by tremors of daily life, the generator makes a trace amount of electrical current and it's capable enough to power sensors and small machines. The scientists are claiming the machine's vibrating magnets to be 10 times better at generating current than other machines of this kind.
The most probable use of the vibration powered generator is in wireless sensors as they use batteries, which need to be replaced. It might be used to power a pacemaker sometime in the future.
Currently, this sugar cube-sized generator is capable of producing a few microwatts of electricity but, we can hope that this technology, sooner or later, could be used to power all sorts of low-energy devices.
Via: Gizmodo
