Tiny ARM-Based Sensor System Makes Battery Replacement Obsolete 96
An anonymous reader writes "University of Michigan researchers have crammed an ARM Cortex microcontroller, a thin-film battery, and a solar cell into a package that is only 9 cubic millimeters in volume. The system is able to run perpetually by periodically recharging the on-board battery with a solar cell (neglecting physical wear-out of the system)."
neglecting physical wear-out (Score:4, Interesting)
And lack of sunlight....
Dust computing (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:THIS is how you get "infinite" battery life (Score:5, Interesting)
Batteries have a limiting lifespan.
If they used a capacitor instead, this device would run virtually forever.
Place this in a solid glass marble, and it might last forever too.
Re:THIS is how you get "infinite" battery life (Score:4, Interesting)
If this device is as smart as TFS suggests, it can probably use more than 10 characters. Hell, something that size (9mm^3) could be, uh, discreetly placed to take pictures and send out the real thing!
Not that I would ever condone or support such an act.
Re:A more modern equivalent (Score:1, Interesting)
I have a watch like this and purchased it exactly 10 years ago this weekend. The Seiko Kinetic auto-relay watch. Moving it charges the internal capacitor/battery and I've worn it almost every day since then. The occasion's I don't wear it are over a long weekend of excessive rock climbing so it won't be damaged. After a few days it stops the hands but keeps time accurately and when you pick it up and move it, the arms race to the correct time, however the date doesn't adjust/correct itself.
Wait another ten years, then you can throw it away. Solar cells have a live expectency of about 20 years and you wont get a replacement for it. If you want something that lasts, go for mechanical. Due to the simplicity of its parts a mechanical watch can be serviced forever. Moreover, a well made mechanical watch can run for up to 20 years without service, although a lot of parts will need replacement then.