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Home › News › The Web

Researchers create 'micro-windmills' that could one day power our smartphones

By Shawn Knight

On January 13, 2014, 8:15 AM With Video

Comments 7

Bigger is usually seen as better in terms of generating power but that’s not always the case. Researcher J.C. Chiao and his team at the University of Texas Arlington have developed micro-windmills that could one day power your smartphone.

They’re so small that 10 of them can fit onto a single grain of rice and if a couple hundred are mounted on your handset and held out of a window or simply waved about, they could recharge your phone from a dead state within just a few minutes.

Despite the fact that they’re only 1/15 of an inch wide, their nickel-alloy construction ensures the windmills can endure prolonged exposure to strong winds without sustaining any damage. A fabrication foundry in Taiwan has obtained exclusive rights to commercialize the technology although there’s no timeline as to when we might see them show up in our pockets.

Found is a TechSpot feature where we share clever, funny or otherwise interesting stuff from around the web.

smartphone, found, micro windmills, battery charging

Next Article: Dropbox: Recent downtime caused by routine maintenance error, not hackers

7 comments

User Comments: 7
Got something to say? Post a comment

January 13, 2014 9:34 AM

Puiu said:

Well I must admit that I am impressed, but with solar getting cheaper and better this can only be seen as a good replacement at night or in places where sunlight is not present (indoors maybe)

Reply

January 13, 2014 9:39 AM

Skidmarksdeluxe said:

C'mon man this is ridiculous. Higher density batteries is the answer but heaven knows when we'll be seeing them.

Reply

January 13, 2014 10:31 AM

MilwaukeeMike said:

C'mon man this is ridiculous. Higher density batteries is the answer but heaven knows when we'll be seeing them.

You know... a few stories down from this one was the weekend tech reading with a battery breakthrough in it that's already available on the market.

[link]

Reply

January 13, 2014 10:34 AM

1 person liked this |

OneSpeed said:

Wait. Here it comes. Apple is readying a patent for this...

Reply

January 13, 2014 10:39 AM

VitalyT said:

Mr Garrison wants to know if they make one as a butt-hole insert, with an optional whistle to signal the incoming charges...

Reply

January 13, 2014 1:03 PM

wastedkill said:

Micro windmills for micro cities you heard it folks its the makers of simcity you got it its Apple they have created a new real life game all made with micro stuff.

Reply

January 13, 2014 11:27 PM

captainawesome said:

Wouldn't it make more sense to create a little farm that could be plugged into the charge port on your phone for when you need to charge it rather than have tiny little obtrusive things protruding from the phone at all times?

Reply

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