Pocket power plant

There is presently a growing demand for electronic devices that are wireless, portable, wearable and/or implantable. Harvesting energy from ambient sources, such as vibrations and waste heat, offers a clean and competitive energy solution that goes beyond traditional power sources such as batteries that require constant replacing/recharging, and that do not scale easily with size.Energy harvesting technologies are thus vital to the development of future self-powered devices, such as ubiquitous wireless sensors. Our work involves developing highly efficient nanomaterials, often based on polymers, for energy harvesting using cost-effective and scalable routes, and incorporating these into devices that can convert motion and heat into electricity.

 

Part of the Cambridge Science Festival.