Ever dreamed of turning your phone’s display into a solar cell? If yes, then your dream is set to become a reality now as a French startup named Wysips has developed a transparent photovoltaic film that can use solar energy to generate power and allow the user to see right through it. The company claims that it will turn the display of your smartphone into a solar cell. Incredible, isn’t it? This will end the hassle of charging the phone regularly using electricity.
The technology used by the company is pretty simple, as they have overlaid solar cells with a lenticular surface. The film is applied directly to the screen, which is below the capacitive layer. The direct application of the film does not affect the touch performance at all, which sounds a little fictional. Wysips, however, stresses that they have succeeded in doing so over three generations of prototypes.
Detractors must argue that it is tough for Wysips to perfect the technology, as they don’t have any fully functional phones on hand, but the French company displayed a couple of demos at the CTIA to prove that they have a winner in hand. In the first demo, the company showed a partially disassembled device in which the top half of the display was covered by its patented film. Around 1.2 and 2.5 volts of power was generated under harsh trade show lighting and Wysips noted that the rays are absorbed only from the front. The demo showed that the brightness or clarity of the display was not affected much but that little impact was noticeable.
In the second demo, which was done with an iPhone 3G, the company placed an unconnected solar film underneath the glass in order to show the audience how it will look in a production device, but the bands of darkness move across the film when the angle of the phone is changed. I must say that this happens in lenticular displays and the French firm admitted that this is an older-generation prototype, and they will fix it in the production devices.
Wysips said that they are willing to ink deals with suppliers, phone manufacturers and carriers in order to develop commercial devices. The company is planning to release the device next year. I am sure that Wysips will find many partners and very soon, we will be able to buy this device.
Via: Engadget
