Can someone explain this a bit better? I’m not exactly getting what these are. So they are nanogenerators, which coulkd be used as a component of all electricity-generating technologies? The article specifically talks about them converting kinetic energy into electrical, but i’m confused by the solar cell comparison. Wouldn’t these be implemented into new solar panels to increase their efficiency? It seems like these still need a “fuel”, like all energy-generation methods?
It’s an apples-to-oranges comparison. The idea here is replacing solar usage with kinetic energy in certain applications so fewer devices need an external power source and therefore wiring. It would also reduce grid use (by a minuscule amount), but I’m assuming the solar comparison is solely because both produce a DC current.
ahhh got it. Thank you!
It could potentially go on a device that could have been solar powered. That’s the only connection. This is only the beginning of how this article is clickbaity crap.
Yeah you got taken by the clickbait headline just like me
Game changer for smart watches if this turns out to work and scale well
It would be nice for car keys and other remotes to never run out of battery. This seems like a good convenience technology, assuming it can be brought to market at comparable prices to li ion cells.
So long as one gets off the couch! 🤣
Big, big if. It says nothing about the actual manufacturing process. Also, the kind of movements smart watches make are large enough I’m guessing a balance of some kind already can capture a lot of it, if you don’t mind the feeling of having weights on your wrist.
Like most science press releases I’m not holding my breath
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No and no. Electrical generators/motors are already nearly perfect. The difference here it that these ones are really tiny. Oh, and it says nothing about if they can build them any way except manually one at a time.
You have to admit, making them self-replicating would be pretty cool … for a time.
Yeah, self-replicating machines could be cool. Not necessarily dangerous, too, depending on exactly how robust and good at using a variety of materials they are. If we just make a slightly different version of delicate seafloor bacteria that’s not very scary.
That being said, you could 3D print most of a normal electric motor. I’d have to actually read the research to know how this triboelectric design compares.
