Harvard University

Self powered cardiac pacemaker

CEA-Leti, a French research and technology organization, and five partners are combining their expertise to develop a self-powered cardiac pacemaker eight times smaller than current models.

Microbial fuel cell-based charger for mobile phones

A project to use dirt-powered batteries to charge cell phones in Africa has won a $100,000 grant from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

1 City, 100 million sensors

In the PlanIT Valley project from the Living PlanIT team there will be 100 million sensors deployed over 17 km2 - an area equivalent to Manhattan Island, New York City - to seamlessly embed and connect an entire city with Wireless Sensor Networks.

World's highest-efficiency silicon nanowire array photovoltaic device

Advancements in Illuminex's patented nanowire array production process are paving the way to commercial solar/photovoltaic textiles for rooftop power generation, PV textiles and other large solar power applications.

Illuminex's highest-efficiency silicon nanowire array PV device

Advancements in Illuminex's patented nanowire array production process pave the way to commercial solar/photovoltaic textiles for rooftop power generation, PV textiles and other large solar power applications.

Energy harvesting rubber sheets

Power-generating rubber films developed by Princeton University engineers could harness natural body movements such as breathing and walking to power pacemakers, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Energy harvesting soccer ball

A group of four students in an engineering sciences class at Harvard University have come up with the idea for sOccket - the energy harvesting soccer ball. SOccket is a fun, portable energy-harvesting power source in the form of a soccer ball.

Dirt powered battery for rural Africa

Scientists have known for some time that an electrical charge could be harvested from the metabolic processes of bacteria living in soil but the effort required to achieve this was time consuming for a very low power output. But a team of Harvard scientists has used the idea to design an inexpensive battery, a microbial fuel cell, which can produce enough current to power LED lights and charge cellphone batteries in rural Africa.

Harvesting needed for robot flies

Robert Wood, an assistant professor of engineering and applied sciences at Harvard University has developed a revolutionary fabrication technique that allows engineers to make a range of very tiny parts for any kind of robot resulting in a life-size robotic fly.

Energy harvesting without batteries

Usually, dispensing with any form of battery can give even longer life, lower cost, smaller size, greater reliability, convenience, labour saving and reduced environmental problems.

The hot applications for energy harvesting

IDTechEx finds that consumer applications are and will remain the greatest market for energy harvesting on small devices by value.

Undergraduates develop dirt-powered microbial fuel cells

A Harvard team who developed an innovative, microbial fuel cell-based lighting system suitable for Sub-Saharan Africa won a $200,000 grant.

Biohybrids can generate force to grip, pump, walk, or swim - USA

Researchers have found that a rubberlike, elastic film coated with a single layer of cardiac muscle cells can engage in lifelike gripping, pumping, walking, and swimming.

RFID experience highlights from Smart Labels USA

The following is a summary of user's experiences, as they reported it, from the fourth Smart Labels USA conference in June