Unlock the Power Within

There’s little denying that the number of mobile devices people are using every day are only increasing. It is assumed that the vast majority of people in the developed world now carries around with them at least one mobile phone, along with the shift users are making to buy laptops instead of the traditional desktop alternatives – every year a reduced estimate of when laptops will finally outsell desktops appears on the net (the earliest I’ve read is that its likely to happen by is September 2009).

But research and development is already way ahead on the next computer form factor and its only a matter of time before the flexible display, digital ink, miniature integrated projectors are all worked into mobile technology as well as a multitude of other inconceivable technologies and services that we have yet to even dream of, unless your at the heart of one of these R&D labs.
The thought that struck me today though was that of methods of powering these devices. The traditional batteries that are installed in devices often only provide a limited hourly charge, which decreases rapidly when processing power increases with an intense workload and when wireless networks and other devices are plugged in and operated. Fear not though, because it seems those clever R&D people are already looking at developing fuel cells that are able to produced increased amounts of power and other new types of batteries are also being developed and tested to various degrees of success.

One article I read stood out to me though – the use of kinetic motion and heat dissipation to create energy. Its an area I’m reading a lot about at the moment due to the rule changes that are happening in Formula 1 at the moment, ready for next year when cars will be fitted with a KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), which will allow the teams to capture the excess power and energy from things like braking that is normally lost and use it to collect a “boost” which will then be used to produce extra power in the engine so drivers are able to pass and overtake each other.

If mobile devices where able to apply similar technology that captures the heat dissipation from the processor and power supplies or movement of the laptop as its transported from one place to another or from the user interaction of pressing down on the keyboard’s keys and turn that back into useable energy and back to the battery. Similar kinetic energy recovery has been in wrist watches for years now, granted you’re more likely to move your arm around in day-to-day activities than you are to swing a laptop around, but in mobile phones it’s perfectly feasible.