“Today, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that generally relates to providing haptic feedback from energy harvesting components, and in particular, to techniques for providing tactile feedback from an element which harvests kinetic energy in iOS devices,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “There’s an industry wide effort in this area of technology to incorporate energy harvesting components in future devices.”
“While consumers are really hoping for an all-new energy source solution like fuel cells that will deliver sufficient power to mobile devices that will last for days on end, industry players are working on interim solutions such as energy harvesting,” Purcher reports. “To mitigate depletion of power between recharging cycles, the battery charge may be augmented by harvesting and converting energy from various sources such as solar power, kinetic energy, or ambient electromagnetic energy.”
Purcher reports, “Apple’s invention covers an energy harvesting component that augments battery power in a first mode and provides advanced tactile feedback in a second mode.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Harvesting kinetic energy seems promising, most especially from Apple Watch.
Yes! Piezoelectric crystals work both ways. If you smack one, it gives off electrical energy (like a long lighter with a trigger button). If you apply an electrical charge to it, it expands (what makes an inkjet work).
So the harvesting could be your presses on the screen I suppose…
… Or the addition and use of a pendulum hardware element that puts movement of the iOS device to work generating energy. I point out my self-winding watch below.
MDN, can’t you stop these dang shifting ads! It is a PITA! Makes me not enjoy this site!
There’s a solution for that! I won’t say what. But I will say that if a website abuses its readers with bad ads, that solution can be a gawdsend. I’ve never appreciated customer abuse. 😉
I don’t think it’s feasible at all, there’s just no where near enough energy to be had. Still, who knows, we’ll wait and see.
“The Matrix is a prison Neo, designed to turn you – into this…” (Cue DuraCell battery in hand towards camera)
I still have my steampunk worthy dive watch that ticks on and on forever as long as you keep inadvertently winding it by moving your arm throughout the day. No battery required.
Then there’s my dirt cheap Timex that hasn’t required a battery change in several years. I swear it’s because I keep it in my pants pocket where its battery benefits from my body temperature. I never wear it on my arm.