Battery power, a perennial focus among laptop and portable computer manufacturers, may soon be a thing of the past. According to Mashable, Australian researchers have apparently devised a way to harness the energy we use while typing to power a laptop.
Using a method called “piezoelectricity,” pushing a key would create a spark—and thus, energy—by striking a thin film made out of a piezoelectric crystal. The process is very similar to how a cigarette lighter works by scratching against a thin layer of metal to spark a flame.
Scientists are currently searching for more ways to utilize piezoelectricity for practical and technological applications, such as touchscreen devices.
“The power of piezoelectrics could be integrated into running shoes to charge mobile phones, enable laptops to be powered through typing, or even used to convert blood pressure into a power source for pacemakers—essentially creating an everlasting battery,” says Madhu Bhaskaran, a co-author of this study.
Read more from Mashable.
