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News
Issue #2001 - 18
(May 2001)
(Updated May
2, 2001)
TECHNOLOGY
Recharging Mobile
Devices May Be History, But Not Any Time Soon
Germany’s Fraunhofer
Institute along with device manufacturers such as Casio and Siemens are
testing prototype devices using power cells that do not require recharging.
Their goal is to replace rechargeable batteries in mobile devices with a
miniature version of the hydrogen fuel cell used in power electric cars,
reported by CNET.
Recently, the Fraunhofer Institute demonstrated a high-performance solar
module that is integrated in the lid of a Casio handheld thus making the
device free from electrical supports.
Christopher Hebling, head of the Mirco-Energy Technology group at the
Institute, told a CNET reporter, "The devise factor is that the device
can run on solar power alone even under low lighting levels. At a normal
workplace, you have only three percent of the brightness of summer sunshine.
Even down to a level of one percent, the electrical voltage provided by our
solar module remains virtually constant. In conventional cell types, it
would have long since broken down."
Fraunhofer researchers have an innovative solution to remove the
non-conducting coating on the surface of solar cells: A special laser zaps
away the coating from designated contact points. This has allowed
researchers to reduce the total number of process steps by 80 percent,
making the solar cells cheap enough to become commercially viable.
For more information: http://www.ise.fhg.de/
(Additional Source CNET News)
Mobileinfo Comments and Advisory: Battery
power requirements for mobile devices continue to be holding mobile
technology back. Therefore, any help we get from solar power is
welcome news.
Note: This news release may contain
forward-looking statements. Readers should take appropriate caution in
developing plans utilizing these products, services and technology
architectures. All trademarks used in this summary are
the property of their respective owners.
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