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For many people, their mobile phone is a central hub for both their business and personal goings-on,so running out of battery can be catastrophic in certain scenarios. We’ve all been there, though: away from home and without a charger, as our phone’s battery reaches the single digits. 9%, 8%, 7%… it’s dropping fast and, apart from buying another charger, there’s no solution. Fortunately, the future may have some nifty phone recharging alternatives in store.
With the number of mobile phone users expected to reach1.75 billion by the end of 2014, the mobile phone industry has no decline in sight. It makes sense that scientists are hard at work investigating possible charging solutions. Some future phone-charging methods may be eye-opening.
Here’s a look at what the future may hold for phone charging technology.
Biomechanical Energy
Whenever our bodies move, we generate biomechanical energy. It’s already possible to produce biomechanical energy fairly easy in some platforms, such as using a backup battery via a hand-crank. The government has already used biomechanical energy in a military setting to reduce the weight of batteries on soldiers.
At some point, it would not be surprising to see a company integrate biomechanical energy with fitness to produce a phone-charging device that powers your phone as you work out. Your phone may soon be able to last through your workout – that is, if you don’t get tired first.
Rice
One of the more unconventional energy sources may come from rice, one of the world’s most popular foods. Research shows that rice husks contain silica that is compatible to sourcing battery anodes. “It’s such an amazing source of silicon. If you can convert silicon dioxide into silicon, that provides a lot of silicon nanostructure at low cost,” Stanford scientist Yi Cui says.
A rice-based phone-charging device has plenty of novelty and eco-friendly appeal, while also providing significant advantages to malnourished areasof the world where other forms of energy are simply not possible to produce. Although an unexpected source, rice-based energy is certainly something for the mobile phone industry to chew on.
Moonlight
The moon provides us all with light during the night. Soon, it may also be a source of energy for your phone. German architect André Broesse has been making waves with his Rawlemon Solar Device, which collects solar energy – even on a cloudy day or night – using the moon’s light.
The device has raised over $200,000 on IndieGoGo and the technology aligns with Broessel’s belief that “the sun is the greatest sustainable energy source available” – for your phone and other gadgets. The technology is certainly exciting, especially because it relies on something we can all see and experience on a daily basis.
Thermoelectricity
Just as biomechanical energy can be derived from our bodies’ motions, thermoelectricity can use our own body heat as a source. In the future, could simply rubbing your phone against your arm provide a battery boost? It’s possible, since thermoelectricity works when electrons create a current by fleeing from hot to cold.
The current then generates a charge when crossing metals. In essence, thermoelectric phone-charging is possible today, but it works at an extremely slow rate. For example, Power Wellies mud boots provides one hour of battery life for every 12 hours walking through mud, oil, or other enduring landscapes.
The Old-Fashioned Way, Except Faster
While the four methods above are fascinating for their accessibility and relative lowcosts, when the charging technology is perfected, consumers should also expect traditional charging methods to increase in efficiency.
StoreDot’s30-second phone charger is one example of what to expect; these charging behemoths are expected to hit stores in 2016 or so. So, if you’re at home and need to leave in a minute or two but have an empty battery, this technology can be a huge asset, boosting your phone to 100% in less than a minute.
Despite the popularity of mobile phones, the technology’s widespread prevalence is still relatively new; smartphones have been around for less than a decade but are already very technologically innovative. With that in mind, it’s exciting to think about which technological achievements will be embraced by the mobile phone industry over the next decade or so.
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