Engadget
Menu

Engadget

News

Reviews

Features

Shows

Forums

More

sign up or log in

Close

username or email address

password

forgot username/password? remember me

login
or

Connect with Facebook

not yet a member of the Engadget community? sign up

profile

settings

help

logout

Keep me logged in

The Engadget Show

Podcasts

Peripheral Vision

Latest videos

Product photos

Subscribe via RSS

Send us a tip!

News

Reviews

Latest Reviews

Top Categories

cellphones

laptops / portables

tablets

headphones

cameras

routers

hdtvs / televisions

portable media players

fitness devices

e-book readers

digital media players

Show all categories

All categories

camcorders

camera lenses

Computers > desktops

digital photo frames

Gaming > consoles (home)

Gaming > consoles (portable)

Gaming > controllers / gamepads

Gaming > joysticks / flight / racing

gps

Headsets > bluetooth headsets

Headsets > headsets

Home theater > av receivers

Home theater > dvrs

Home theater > remotes / controllers

Home theater > speakers

Home theater > video disc players

miscellaneous devices

monitors

Networking > switches / hubs

os / platforms

Peripherals > computer speakers

Peripherals > keyboards

Peripherals > mice

Peripherals > pen tablets

Peripherals > usb / firewire hubs

Peripherals > webcams / network cameras

printers

scanners

speaker docks / portable speakers

Storage > external hard drives

Storage > flash drives

Storage > memory cards

Storage > network storage / home servers

Storage > raid / drive arrays

Features

Shows

The Engadget Show

Podcasts

Peripheral Vision

Forums

More

Latest videos

Product photos

Subscribe via RSS

Send us a tip!

Researchers develop tiny windmills that can power your gadgets (video)

BY Mariella Moon 1 day ago 0

Portable solar chargers aren't so out of the ordinary anymore, but minuscule windmills that can charge your phones? Now, those are something new. A couple of UT Arlington researchers, Smitha Rao and J.C. Chiao, have developed wind turbines so small (they measure 1.8mm at their widest), you can stick 10 of them on a grain of rice. One possible application is to embed a bunch of the Lilliputian devices onto a phone sleeve -- you can then simply hold your phone out the window or place it in front of a fan to recharge. Since the tiny windmills are made of durable nickel alloy, you won't have to worry about strong wings blowing their little blades off, either. Although it's still too early to say if this leads to an actual product, a Taiwanese company is already exploring commercial opportunities, so cross your fingers if you dream of owning a wind farm for ants.

0 Comments Share

Via: EurekAlert

Source: University of Texas Arlington

Tags: EmergingTechnology, science, universityoftexasarlington, WindEnergy

Researchers develop tiny windmills that can power your gadgets (video)

Next: Native Union's Jump charging cable can juice up your devices on the go

Engadget Mini

Albatross One: flying Row 44's amphibious in-flight WiFi test plane

John Colucci via Engadget 4h

Facebook

Twitter

Email

Inhabitat's Week in Green: Navia, $100 prosthetic limbs and a controlled nuclear meltdown

John Colucci via Engadget 4h

Facebook

Twitter

Email

In-depth w/@tnkgrl about evangelizing Pebble. A chat with @SmartwatchFans and @reneritchie. t.co/kunawCM1NH | t.co/7qZUehm5lR

@Pebble via Twitter

7h

Facebook

Twitter

Email

More from Mini →

Get the Mighty Module

About

About Engadget

Contact us

About Our Ads

Community

Forums

Engadget Meta

Community guidelines

Reviews

Product reviews

Write a review

Contribute

Send us a tip!

Add to our database

Write a review

Start a discussion

Ask a question

Live events

Engadget Expand

Engadget Live

Social Wall

Popular topics

Mobile

HD

Alt

Software

Apple

Follow Engadget

Engadget Apps

More Apps from Engadget

Subscribe to Engadget Newsletter

Top categories

cellphones

laptops / portables

tablets

headphones

cameras

routers

hdtvs / televisions

portable media players

fitness devices

e-book readers

digital media players

Mobile

Cellphones

Tablets

Bluetooth Headsets

GPS

Photography

Cameras

Camera Lenses

Camcorders

Digital Photo Frames

Gaming

Consoles (home)

Consoles (portable)

Controllers / Gamepads

Joysticks / Flight / Racing

Computers

Laptops/Portables

Desktops

Operating Systems

Peripherals

Keyboards

Mice

Monitors

Computer Speakers

Headsets

Printers

Scanners

Pen Tablets

USB / Firewire Hubs

Webcams

Personal Tech

Headphones

Portable Media Players

E-book Readers

Fitness

Miscellaneous Devices

Networking

Routers

Switches / Hubs

Storage

External Hard Drives

Flash Drives

Memory Cards

Network Storage

RAID / Drive Arrays

Home Theater

HDTVs / Televisions

Speaker Docks

Digital Media Players

Remotes / Controllers

A/V Receivers

DVRs

Speakers

Video Disc Players

Engadget International Editions

Español

繁體中文

简体中文

日本版

Deutschland

AOL Tech.
© 2014 AOL Inc.
All rights reserved. Reprints and Permissions Privacy Policy Terms of Use Trademarks AOL A-Z Help Advertise with Us