World’s First Solar-Powered Circuit Could Revolutionize Touchscreen Tech
Posted By Ariel Schwartz On February 4, 2010 @ 5:00 pm In green gadgets,Interactive Objects,Renewable Energy,Solar Power | 1 Comment
Imagine: a solar-powered screen that could quickly charge up your new iPad [4]. Solar [5] chargers are certainly nothing new, but this circuit is embedded right in the touchscreen, so you don’t have to set the device on its back to catch light. It’s not a reality yet, but it might be soon, courtesy of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania [6].
The scientists have developed the world’s first photovoltaic circuit [7] that can continuously power itself as long as it’s left in a sunny area. That means computer touchscreens could eventually act like both computer chips and electrical chargers [8].
The technology is far from debuting on store shelves — the team can currently only produce tiny amounts of energy with the circuit — but that’s expected to change quickly. Once the technology has matured, it could be used for everything from powering small robotic devices and artificial neural networks to running ultra-fast computer calculations. If all goes well, the circuit could make our current generation of solar [9] chargers look ancient.
+ The Dawn A. Bonnell Research Group [6]
Via Discovery [7]
Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com
URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/worlds-first-solar-powered-circuit-could-revolutionize-touchscreen-tech/
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[3] Email: mailto:?subject=http://inhabitat.com/worlds-first-solar-powered-circuit-could-revolutionize-touchscreen-tech/
[4] iPad: http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/27/how-green-is-apples-ipad/
[5] Solar: http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/02/02/gorgeous-glass-pyramid-solar-cells-energize-any-building-facade/
[6] University of Pennsylvania: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~bonnell/
[7] world’s first photovoltaic circuit: http://news.discovery.com/tech/light-powered-computer-circuit.html
[8] electrical chargers: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/04/21/k3-charger-solar-and-wind-power-to-go/
[9] solar: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/12/14/worlds-largest-solar-energy-office-building-opens-in-china/
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