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As the drops hit the material, they create vibrations, which creates a charge. The electrodes recover the charge for use as power. Not surprisingly, the largest drops cause the biggest vibrations. The researchers found the system could scavenge 12 milliwatts from the largest drops and generate at least 1 microwatt of continuous power. But is that enough? All devices -- even the tiniest sensors -- require a minimum amount of current and voltage coursing through the circuits. "They haven't included any circuit analysis," said Dan Inman, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Center for Intelligent Material Systems and Structures at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. That information is important when trying to understand how efficiently the energy created from the raindrops will be converted into power useful in electronic devices. "They need to clarify that. That would be the next step," said Inman. But he thinks that looking to rain for power is a worthy endeavor. "You need to look at all possible sources of energy. Our lives are full of batteries, and they are not very ecological. Anything you can use to reduce the need for them or extend their use is a good thing to look at," said Inman. Related Links: |
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