How String Theory Could Lead to New Thermal-Energy Harvesting Tech

A new class of exotic materials could find its way into next-generation technologies that efficiently convert waste heat into electrical current according to new research.

Ultrathin device harvests electricity from human motion

A new electrochemical energy harvesting device can generate electrical current from the full range of human motions and is thin enough to embed in clothing.

Bio-friendly energy storage device draws electrical power from the human body

The biological supercapacitor is a protein-based battery-like device capable of extracting energy from the human body.

New solar product captures up to 95 percent of light energy

Efficiency is a problem with today's solar panels; they only collect about 20 percent of available light. Now, a University of Missouri engineer has developed a flexible solar sheet that captures more than 90 percent of available light, and he plans to make prototypes available to consumers within the next five years.

Most powerful millimeter-scale energy harvester generates electricity from vibrations

(PhysOrg.com) -- Electrical engineers at the University of Michigan have built a device that can harness energy from vibrations and convert it to electricity with five to ten times greater efficiency and power than other devices in its class. And it