GROW Power Specks Beat Leaves and Solar Panels
- Mar 04, 2008 2:30 PM EST
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The practice of biomimetics, or adopting natural processes for synthetic mechanisms, has inspired a lot of cutting edge technology. Qualcomm engineers, for instance, were able to replicate the organic nature of butterfly wings by developing the IMOD mobile information display.
GROW panels by SMIT are another example of biomimetics at work. According to Gizmodo, these nanotech generators have been inspired by leaves, "drawing power from the sun, but also capturing energy from the wind as they are jostled by the breeze." That's right. The tiny receptors make use of both solar and wind energy. In fact, the report points out the man-made units are even better at harnessing power "than their biological counterparts."
The cost of manufacturing these wonder panels may prove economically infeasible for mass production. Still, the developers of this technology are undeterred, hoping to sell modular kits through art/design resellers instead.