Replacing Batteries May Become a Thing of the Past, Thanks to 'Soft Generators'

A class of variable capacitor generators known as "dielectric elastomer generators" (DEGs) shows great potential for wearable energy harvesting. In fact, researchers at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute's Biomimetics Lab believe DEGs may enable light, soft, form-fitting, silent energy harvesters with excellent mechanical properties that match human muscle. They describe their findings in the American Institute of Physics' journal Applied Physics Letters.

"Imagine soft generators that produce energy by flexing and stretching as they ride ocean waves or sway in the breeze like a tree," says Thomas McKay, a Ph.D. candidate working on soft generator research at the Biomimetics Lab. "We've developed a low-cost power generator with an unprecedented combination of softness, flexibility, and low mass. These characteristics provide an opportunity to harvest energy from environmental sources with much greater simplicity than previously possible."

Dielectric elastomers, often referred to as artificial muscles, are stretchy materials that are capable of producing energy when deformed. In the past, artificial muscle generators required bulky, rigid, and expensive external electronics.

"Our team eliminated the need for this external circuitry by integrating flexible electronics -- dielectric elastomer switches -- directly onto the artificial muscles themselves. One of the most exciting features of the generator is that it's so simple; it simply consists of rubber membranes and carbon grease mounted in a frame," McKay explains.

McKay and his colleagues at the Biomimetics Lab are working to create soft dexterous machines that comfortably interface with living creatures and nature in general. The soft generator is another step toward fully soft devices; it could potentially be unnoticeably incorporated into clothing and harvest electricity from human movement. When this happens, worrying about the battery powering your cell phone or other portable electronics dying on you will become a thing of the past. And as an added bonus, this should help keep batteries out of landfills.

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3D TVs - Tips For Buying the Best 3D TV Within Your Budget

Making the decision to purchase a three-dimensional capable television is a huge financial commitment. For this reason, budgeting correctly for the purchase is instrumental is getting the most TV for the most desirable price. Just as any bargain shopper can attest, timing can be a crucial factor in the purchase of any piece of technology, and 3D capable televisions fall clearly into that category. Given their cost, just about any 3D TV shopper is interested in finding some tips for buying the best 3D TV within their budget. Fortunately, buying a next generation television set does not have to be an intimidating experience; however, buyers should be prepared to do a fair bit of research prior to committing to a purchase.

The first step that needs to be taken is for the shopper to define the budget for the overall cost of the unit. However, simply purchasing a 3D TV does not allow viewing in 3D, as additional equipment is needed. While some general 3D content does exist, the majority of owners are purchasing these sets for movies. Still, active shutter glasses, or another form of compatible 3D glasses, are required to experience the effect of 3D, not to mention a 3D compatible Blu-Ray player. Therefore, shoppers need to define the budget for the total cost of the experience as those components can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of transitioning 3D. Basically, potential buyers need to know their budget for the television itself, whether or not the decision is made to factor in the associated equipment.

One of the easiest techniques used in stretching the budget for a 3D TV purchase is to purchase the components separately and ease into the transition to the 3D experience. While a 3D capable television is expensive enough, a 3D capable Blu-Ray player can be purchased and used with a regular HDTV. In addition, 3D enabled discs can also be stockpiled in anticipation of the switch, just as compatible glasses can be purchased when prices are favorable. However, shoppers should have a concrete idea of which television is going to be purchased prior to buying any 3D glasses because of compatibility issues. Basically, the initial cost of the television can be offset by slowly acquiring the equipment needed for the best possible 3D experience.

Perhaps the best tip for purchasing the best 3D TV for a given budget is to understand the product itself. Just because a screen is big, does not necessarily mean it is the best. Higher refresh rates mean clearer pictures and many top quality 3D TVs feature 240hz rates, but several are available for less money with less quality. While the lower priced TVs may fit into an initial budget better, overall cost of ownership needs to be examined. For example, while a DLP 3D TV will cost less money than an LED-LCD unit, the bulb in the DLP will likely need replaced at some point, which can add a substantial amount of money to the investment. These basic differences in picture quality and technology should be understood before a television is selected.

All things considered, 3D TV can be the highlight of any home theater experience. Everything watching sports to the latest Hollywood blockbuster is enhanced and literally jumps to life in 3D. Buyers that budget correctly and purchase quality equipment will likely enjoy the benefits of 3D for years to come.
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