• About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
Friday, May 9, 2025
    Login
FutureIOT
  • Technology
    • Sensors and Instrumentation
    • Devices
    • Cloud and Platforms
    • Research and Development
    • Governance, Standards and Regulations
    • Application and Middleware
    • Security
    • Big Data and Analytics
    • AI and Machine Learning
  • Industry
    • Manufacturing
    • Transportation and Logistics
    • Retail and E-commerce
    • Banking and Financial Services
    • Government, Healthcare and Education
    • Industrial
  • Application
    • Smart Cities
    • Future Workplace
    • Commercial
    • Smart Home
    • Customer Engagement
  • Resources
  • Podchats
  • Videos
  • Events
No Result
View All Result
  • Technology
    • Sensors and Instrumentation
    • Devices
    • Cloud and Platforms
    • Research and Development
    • Governance, Standards and Regulations
    • Application and Middleware
    • Security
    • Big Data and Analytics
    • AI and Machine Learning
  • Industry
    • Manufacturing
    • Transportation and Logistics
    • Retail and E-commerce
    • Banking and Financial Services
    • Government, Healthcare and Education
    • Industrial
  • Application
    • Smart Cities
    • Future Workplace
    • Commercial
    • Smart Home
    • Customer Engagement
  • Resources
  • Podchats
  • Videos
  • Events
No Result
View All Result
FutureIOT
No Result
View All Result
Home Technology Devices

SK researchers develop portable water-based generators

Gigi Onag by Gigi Onag
March 14, 2022
The portable stick generator can be used to power a safety traffic light baton with 100 LEDs.

The portable stick generator can be used to power a safety traffic light baton with 100 LEDs.

With the growing interest in Internet of Things (IoT) and small electronics, there is high demand for portable energy sources. One way to produce power is to harvest energy from the environment, such as thermal, solar or mechanical energy. To capture mechanical energy - the power an object gets from its position and motion - scientists have developed triboelectric nanogenerators, which can produce electricity through friction.

South Korean researchers develop a triboelectric nanogenerator

The new stick-like, water-based device can convert energy from movement into electricity. The technology, which was reported in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, could be used to power portable devices, such as safety lights.

"Triboelectric nanogenerators are one of the most effective tools for harvesting mechanical energy because of their high electrical output, low cost and easy accessibility," said Professor Sangmin Lee of Chung-ang University (CAU) in the Republic of Korea.

Triboelectric generators are electrically charged when two dissimilar materials touch and then separate. For example, when a balloon is rubbed on clothing, the balloon becomes charged and can stick to things. However, friction between two materials inevitably causes damage, reducing device lifespan.

Using liquids can reduce friction, but liquid-based generators have a considerably lower electrical output than solid ones. There is also a trade-off between making the device large enough for the liquid to move and generate electricity, while also ensuring it is compact enough to be portable.

To overcome these challenges, researchers at Chung-ang University , together with peers in South Koreas and the US, developed a lightweight, compact, water-based generator that can produce electrical power when shaken.

How it works

The device has a simple stick-like design and consists of 10ml of water, a polymer cylinder and electrodes. The container's polymer material is negatively charged. The water moves up and down when the device is shaken, acquiring a positive charge that is transferred to the electrodes to generate a high electrical output.

"Because of its simple mechanism and design, this small and lightweight device could be used in everyday life. Electrical power can be produced simply by pouring water into the generator then giving it a shake," Lee explained.

The researchers tested different designs, changing the size and ratio of the electrodes, the physical space between the electrodes and the amount of water in order to determine the optimal combination. They found that the portable stick generator could generate a high electrical output reaching 710 volts when it had adequate space for water movement and a high electrode area.

The researchers showed that the generator can power 100 LED lights, meaning it could be used as a traffic safety light baton that illuminates when shaken – demonstrating the potential for triboelectric nanogenerators to be used for a wide range of everyday applications.

Related:  Elliptic Labs joins MediaTek’s Rich IoT program
Gigi Onag

Gigi Onag

Gigi has more than 15 years of experience in technology journalism, covering various aspects of enterprise IT and telecommunications from both business and technology perspective. Before joining CXOCIETY as editor for FutureIoT in July 2019, she was assistant editor of ComputerWorld Hong Kong. Based in Hong Kong, she started with regional IT publications under CMP Asia (now Informa), including Asia Computer Weekly, Intelligent Enterprise Asia and Network Computing Asia and Teledotcom Asia. She had contributed articles to South China Morning Post, TechTarget and PC Market among others.

No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Standardisation and tech are keys to unlocking growth in Asia's supply chains
  • AI to fuel the rise of zero touch networks
  • Surge in ambient IoT to pave the way for sustainable tech
  • Imbibing AI skills into Singapore’s future workforce today
  • Asia Pacific's AI ambitions hinge on next-generation networks

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • AI and Machine Learning
  • Application
  • Application and Middleware
  • Automotive
  • Banking and Financial Services
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Blockchain
  • Case Studies
  • Change Healthcare
  • CHRO
  • Cloud and Platforms
  • Commercial
  • Construction
  • Consumer
  • Customer Engagement
  • Devices
  • ESG
  • Future Workplace
  • FutureCOO
  • Governance, Standards and Regulations
  • Government, Healthcare and Education
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Industrial
  • Industry
  • IT-OT integration
  • Manufacturing
  • Networking
  • Operations
  • Research and Development
  • Retail and E-commerce
  • Security
  • Sensors and Instrumentation
  • Smart Cities
  • smart contracts
  • Smart Home
  • Start-ups
  • Supply chain
  • Technology
  • Telecommunications
  • TIBCO
  • Transportation and Logistics
  • Videos
  • Whitepapers

About FutureIoT

Asia’s ONLY dedicated IoT publication

The race to harness the power of Internet of Things (IoT) is here. FutureIoT is dedicated to individuals, as well as public and private organizations looking to tap the potential of IoT to transform the way we live, work and do business. FutureIoT is the dedicated media that provides the single source of truth about IoT, the technology, its application and regulation, originating from Asia. << Read more >>

Quick Links

  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use

Categories

Recent News

Standardisation and tech are keys to unlocking growth in Asia's supply chains

Standardisation and tech are keys to unlocking growth in Asia's supply chains

May 9, 2025
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hand-of-a-woman-showing-palm-with-a-word-no-4830656/

AI to fuel the rise of zero touch networks

May 8, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2022 Cxociety Pte Ltd | Designed by Pixl

Login to your account below

or

Not a member yet? Register here

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Technology
    • Sensors and Instrumentation
    • Devices
    • Cloud and Platforms
    • Research and Development
    • Governance, Standards and Regulations
    • Application and Middleware
    • Security
    • Big Data and Analytics
    • AI and Machine Learning
  • Industry
    • Manufacturing
    • Transportation and Logistics
    • Retail and E-commerce
    • Banking and Financial Services
    • Government, Healthcare and Education
    • Industrial
  • Application
    • Smart Cities
    • Future Workplace
    • Commercial
    • Smart Home
    • Customer Engagement
  • Resources
  • Podchats
  • Videos
  • Events
Login

Copyright © 2022 Cxociety Pte Ltd | Designed by Pixl

Subscribe