Let the Sun Charge your Phone
Most of us rely on our cellphones for contact, information and entertainment, so when the battery dies, it tends to be a problem. To ensure that you never have to see that low battery symbol again, the energy technology company Wysips has designed a solar powered phone charger that fits right over the device's screen.
The company has created a clear coating less than 100 microns thick (roughly the same as a grain of beach sand) that uses the suns to generate power. "It relies on the application of super-thin strips of photovoltaic cells laid down on a display screen, and then a precise layer of cylindrical lenticular lenses [an array of magnifying lenses] deposited on top," said a report from FastCompany. "Light from the display exits through the lenses undistorted into a viewer's eyes, but incoming solar energy is focused onto the PV cells, where it generates electricity."
Just by keeping your phone out on your desk, Wysips' screen will be able to keep your device charged, saving not only time, but also the energy you would otherwise be using if you were to plug the phone in to charge it.
The solar screen won't eliminate the need to wall charge entirely , according to the company "the technology will fully charge a typical cell phone battery in 6 hours of outdoor light, but it would take longer indoors to fully juice a handset." They hope that with the release of the second-generation screen an hour of talking will only take 30 minutes of charging.
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