fujitsu hybrid energy harvester

fujitsu’s hybrid thermoelectric/photovoltaic energy harvester

fujitsu laboratories has just announced that it has developed a new hybrid energy harvesting device, capable of generating electricity from either heat or light. the ability of a single device to function as both a thermoelectric and photovoltaic cell overcomes a number of barriers that generally limit the practical use of harvesting technology.

energy harvesting involves collecting ambient energy from the surrounding environment and converting it to electricity. whether it utilizes light, wind, heat, radio waves, or other sources, the process represents an efficient and sustainable alternative to the dependence on batteries and power cords for electricity.

the amount of energy available for harvesting is generally small, so devices that convert different forms of energy are typically combined to permit the collection of sufficient energy for practical use. combining devices is costly, however, in terms of both money and space.

the device functions by changing the circuitry between n-type (dotted gray) and p-type (solid gray) semiconductors left: light (represented by the orange arrow) activates photovoltaic mode right: the temperature differential of low (blue) and high (red) temperatures activates thermoelectric mode

the hybrid cell enables the capture of either light or heat energy by a single device. like conventional thermoelectric harvesters, it contains p-type and n-type semiconductors, but by changing the electrical circuits connecting these two materials, the device can switch between its light and heat harvesting capabilities. for use as the generator, fujitsu has developed an organic material that is not only highly efficient in both harvesting modes, but also inexpensive to process, reducing production costs.

the potential uses of the hybrid cells are numerous. operating on just heat and light, it is well-suited to provide power to remote areas of the world, including those sites that are uninhabited but used for data collection for weather forecasting. in the medical field, the cells would enable the monitoring of patient conditions without requiring batteries or electrical wiring, which can become easily tangled.

the technology continues to be developed further, with the release of commercial products expected by 2015.

fujitsu via akihabara news

designboom and FUJITSU have organized a design competition under the theme – a life of future computing -. have a look at the brief and enroll here. great cash prizes are offered (30.000 euro the first prize), deadline for project submission january 31, 2011. see the jury. you are asked to envision a scenery that is becoming increasingly diverse, and dramatically expanding the possibilities of ICT services, including fabulous hardware and more effective and fun applications.

what is a service concept? a service concept is a scene where a type of service utilizing ICT is provided to enrich peoples’ lives, and can be described in these terms:

• what type of person, and what type of service will it provide?
• what will that service be used for, where and when?
• what convenience, experience, excitement or other new value can be gained by using the service?
  (there is no need to interpret the service content based on a business model -income and expenditure-).

the award is composed of two categories:

• the LIFEBOOK category that studies what the PCs will be like in 2013, the near future, and
• the LIFE DESIGN category that studies what next-generation computing devices will be like
  (including service concept) ten years from now in 2020.

with the spread of information and communication technologies (ICT), people have now become able to make diverse connections, via networks, with other people in all daily life situations, through a variety of devices such as PCs and smart phones. as a provider of ICT products and services, FUJITSU strives to create products for a new society that contribute to people’s everyday lives.