Cornell to Develop Self-Charging Batteries

With all of the portable electronic devices that have become standard equipment for anyone wanting to stay "connected" to their business network, to pop culture, or just to friends and family, the need for keeping batteries charged has become a task of Sisyphean proportions. What we need is a battery that always stays charged without being plugged in. Well, that's exactly what Cornell University's Energy Materials Center hopes to do with the aid of partner MicroGen Systems, LLC.

Cornell Announces Funding Agreement

Cornell announced today that critical funding for the project to develop self-charging batteries has been committed by the Nystar-designated Center for Future Energy Systems (CFES) in a memorandum of understanding. The funding will enable the group to continue development on a new type of battery that recharges itself by taking advantage of ambient vibration.

How Self-charging Batteries Work

The new batteries would include a small generator that would recharge the batteries directly. Since electricity is created by passing a magnet through a coil of wire, shaking motions can be harnessed to literally vibrate a small magnet back and forth through the generating coil creating a small charging current. The new batteries are initially intended for industrial uses and remote sensing devices which are difficult to access to make sure they have fresh batteries.

Self-charging Batteries to Enable Wireless Sensor Networks

The group envisions stress monitors on bridges that can keep themselves powered up using the structural vibrations imparted to the bridge by the vehicles passing over it. Robert Andosca, president of MicroGen, was quoted in the announcement as saying "Providing a green, virtually infinite power source to replace traditional energy sources will significantly expand applications for wireless sensor networks and other technologies. Our micro-generator will enable the wireless sensor industry to grow significantly."

Consumer Market Potential for Self-Charging Batteries

One can envision, however, a broader market in portable electronics. Imagine that your cell phone or your iPod automatically recharges itself from the vibrations of your car whenever you drive. Even the shaking imparted by being carried while you walk might keep your portable devices fully-charged indefinitely. There are many photographers who would pay well to keep their digital cameras charged on extended excursions without having to change the batteries after every few dozen pictures. MicroGen's self-charging batteries are in the early stages of development, however, so there are, as yet, many unknown details, but an entire generation of highly connected youth are keeping their fingers crossed for a solution to the battery problem that currently limits their portable electronic devices.

Source:
http://www.pressoffice.cornell.edu/releases/release.cfm?r=48485