Shaken and stirred battery charging

MicroGen Systems and Cornell University's Energy Materials Centre have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop "self-charging" batteries that use background shaking and stirring for their energy source.

The battery will look like a microchip, but with a vibrating core, and it will harness energy from almost anything that shakes. Applications for the self-charging batteries include smart energy systems for industrial equipment, lighting control, infrastructure applications for monitoring the structural integrity of bridges and roads, and energy for monitoring onboard vehicle systems.

The memorandum establishes the framework for MicroGen systems to receive financial support from the NYSTAR-designated Center for Future Energy Systems for the project with the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility.