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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Tiny New Fibers Draw Power From Wind, Flowing Blood

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(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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11 comments
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Fondue
Mar 26, 09 12:28 PM CDT
So potentially, one could incorporate this technology into autos and we would use less fossil fuels. Reply
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Anonymous
Mar 26, 09 12:33 PM CDT
This is amazing and I hope that it is applied to far more than military and defense. I am so horribly ashamed of great people who create great inventions and their military buys them out for it’s own greedy, power-hungry, paranoid, blood-thirst. In fact there is so much great technology such as this that has yet to be discovered under the beds and in the closets of the military of the most powerful countries in this world. Any scientist who creates wonderful new technology that can benefit humans and prevent the further accumulation of waste and destruction and over-consumption of this world is a great scientist; but any scientist that creates wonderful new technology solely or mostly for his government or his military is a wasted soul, a wasted human, a beef-cattle to be eaten, a shame… Please support real change in this world from the ground up: www.thezeitgeistmovement.com Thank you Reply
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Forderon
Mar 26, 09 3:56 PM CDT
Agreed. The military-industrial complex is very dangerous and impedes progress.
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proxieme2
Mar 26, 09 1:19 PM CDT
That. Is. Awesome. Reply
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Mad
Mar 26, 09 2:30 PM CDT
That. Was. Ridicdulous. What do you think, that some scientest somewhere, in his garage or whatever is capable of making discoveries and inventions in nanotechnologies? Who do you suppose funds experiments on such a grand scale - not your private, independent science guy messing around in the basement. Sheesh, grow up and look at the world for what it is, not what you wish it was (btw, you're eaddy set off my virus scanner)
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