Eco Factor: Electricity generating nano-generators harness the energy of motion.
It seems like researchers have lost all hopes that humans will ever be able to generate electricity for themselves, as they are now looking forward to innocent rodents to do the job for the energy-dependent world of today. Researchers at Georgia University’s Nano Research Group have developed jackets for hamsters that will generate electricity whenever the rodents take on the wheel for fun.
Minuscule nano-generators are incorporated in these jackets, which can convert irregular biomechanical energy into electricity. Based on the principles of the piezoelectric effect, the generators carry materials such as zinc oxide, which produce electric current when they are bent and then relaxed.
The Dark Side:
The current generated by each jacket is so small that about 1000 hamsters would be needed to power a single cellphone. Even if the system gets enhanced, it would never be able to produce enough energy to run even the smallest of gadgets we are accustomed to using.
