Apple réfléchit à une batterie universelle. Microbes for Off-the-Grid Electricity - MIT. Microbial fuel cells, which use electrodes in dirt to power a small motor, have long been more or less a laboratory curiosity.
Because they generate such a small amount of power, developing them to charge devices would not be practical in places where electricity is readily available. However, Lebônê Solutions, a startup based in Cambridge, MA, aims to use microbial fuel cells to provide power to Africans who are off the grid. In some parts of Africa, a small amount of energy is enough for a few hours of lamp light in the evening, or for powering the ubiquitous cell phones–something that some residents will walk five hours to a generator to do, says Aviva Presser, a cofounder of Lebônê. The company is made up largely of Harvard University alumni and current Harvard students originally from African countries. Sony’s Twirl N’ Take Battery Free Camera. In the age of digital photography, photographers on the go know that keeping charged is an essential consideration.
Whereas most cameras use batteries for power, Sony recently revealed a unique looking device that is powered by kinetic energy! The latest in the company’s Odo line of green gadgets, the Twirl n’ Take camera is charged by giving its circular head a spin. Resembling a magnifying glass or flower, the Twirl n’ Take’s rolling head provides power by transforming kinetic energy into electricity. The device apparently takes decent photos, although it takes about 15 seconds of rolling to charge for a picture The camera is installed in the handle, and as the device has no screen, one uses the hole as a viewfinder. ArchiExpo - Le Salon Virtuel de l'Architecture.