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Tiny New Fibers Draw Power From Wind, Flowing Blood

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 26, 2009 11:50 AM CDT

(Newser) – Scientists have developed electricity-generating fibers that can be embedded in clothing and other materials and draw power from the smallest of movements, LiveScience reports. The zinc oxide nanowires are as small as 1/5,000th the width of a human hair and produce energy when they vibrate, even from blood flowing through veins. Cell phones and other personal electronics, not to mention military applications, could be powered.

“This research will have a major impact on defense technology, environmental monitoring, biomedical sciences and even personal electronics,” the lead researcher said. “Quite simply, this technology can be used to generate energy under any circumstances as long as there is movement.”

A magnified image of two microfiber brushes. The top one is coated with gold and the bottom one is covered with zinc oxide nanowires. Electrical current is created when the fibers scrub together.
A magnified image of two microfiber brushes. The top one is coated with gold and the bottom one is covered with zinc oxide nanowires. Electrical current is created when the fibers scrub together.   (AP Photo)
A pair of entangled fibers that make up a microfiber nanogenerator.
A pair of entangled fibers that make up a microfiber nanogenerator.   (AP Photo)
Georgia Tech professor Zhong Lin Wang holding a microfiber nanogenerator composed of a pair of entangled fibers. Both fibers are coated with zinc oxide nanowires.
Georgia Tech professor Zhong Lin Wang holding a microfiber nanogenerator composed of a pair of entangled fibers. Both fibers are coated with zinc oxide nanowires.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
riffran
Mar 28, 2009 3:08 AM CDT
OK focus people....nano wires...not fricken politicians...lol...that being said...the potential of this stuff is astounding, if you can get usefull voltage from it.....The prospects are mind numbing...clothing powered by movement or even breathing, resonating cavity chambers to focus ambient sound to a nano wire bundle, even the tiny cheeping of a nearby finch in a tree could add to the whole, not to mention a loud surf, then there is vibration from traffic, waterfalls, implanted bundles to use the beating of a heart to power internal sensors, and and and...(you get the picture)...IF the tech is viable, it will make it's way into the public arena eventually
AnnieChrist
Mar 27, 2009 7:18 AM CDT
Dear Mad. re:not your private, independent science guy messing around in the basement. You might want to google Jobs, Steve/Apple computers, Gates, Bill/Microsoft Inc. for starters. You might want to read up on Tesla and Edison also. But more to the point of Anonymous' original post, discoveries like Radar, night vision goggles, and probably many more we are not aware of are kept out of the public domain because of goveernment's obsession with secrecy and their desire to explore ways to kill people with new technology instead of exploring it beneficial aspects.
JonmarkP
Mar 27, 2009 6:30 AM CDT
The research is paid for by our taxes, and the profits go to private investors. It's redistribution of wealth - upward, as usual. Yes, it's a shame we don't jail war profiteers like we did in the days before Reagan. What a colossal waste of money and talent, to keep the terrified citizens terrified.

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