New
approach is a promising first step toward the development of tiny devices that
harvest electrical energy from everyday tasks
(May 13,
2012) Imagine
charging your phone as you walk, thanks to a paper-thin generator embedded in
the sole of your shoe. This futuristic scenario is now a little closer to
reality. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a way to generate power using
harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity.
The scientists
tested their approach by creating a generator that produces enough current to
operate a small liquid-crystal display. It works by tapping a finger on a
postage stamp-sized electrode coated with specially engineered viruses. The
viruses convert the force of the tap into an electric charge.
Their
generator is the first to produce electricity by harnessing the piezoelectric
properties of a biological material. Piezoelectricity is the accumulation of a
charge in a solid in response to mechanical stress.
The
milestone could lead to tiny devices that harvest electrical energy from the
vibrations of everyday tasks such as shutting a door or climbing stairs.