A Flexible Device That Is Capable Of Capturing Energy from Human Movement

The day is not far when you will be able to charge your phone with your finger swipes and empower Bluetooth sets by moving a little closer to them. A team of researchers working at the Michigan State University recently developed a new method for energy harvesting that will allow the devices to get energy right from human motion. The equipment has been made with the help of film-like equipment that can easily be held for creation of more power. It is a low-cost device, the nanogenerator, the team was able to operate a LCD touch screen successfully, a bunch of some 20 LED lights along with a flexible keyboard. All these could be done with a simple touch or pressing motion eliminating the need for battery altogether.

It happens to be one of the most groundbreaking findings where the associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and also the lead investigator of this project, Nelson Sepulveda, says, “We’re on the path toward wearable devices powered by human motion. What I foresee, relatively soon, is the capability of not having to charge your cell phone or an entire week, for example, because that energy will be produced by your movement.”

Flexible device captures energy from human motion

The newly developed process begins with a silicon wafer and then gets fabricated with multiple layers or very thin sheets of eco-friendly substances that include silver, polypropylene ferroelectric or polyamide. Ions are then added in a manner that every single layer in this device gets charged particles. As a result, power is generated whenever the device gets compressed by human movement or whenever it receives any kind of mechanical energy. The complete setup is called as biocompatible ferroelectric nanogenerator or the FENG. The device is as thin as a paper sheet and can be adapted as per multiple applications as well as sizes.