Research associate Smitha Rao and Professor J.-C. Chiao from the University of Texas at Arlington have designed and built a windmill so small that ten of them could fit on a grain of rice.
This type of technology is known as micro-electrical-mechanical systems, or MEMS. The researchers envision using the micro-windmills to charge cellphone batteries. The micro-windmills would be embedded on the outside of a cellphone. The user would wave the cellphone and that movement of air would turn the blades of the micro-windmills, generating energy that would charge the phone battery.
The micro-windmills are made of a metal alloy that allows them to be flexible and strong. “The problem most MEMS designers have is that materials are too brittle,” Rao said. “With the nickel alloy, we don’t have that same issue. They’re very, very durable.”
The researchers envision many possibilities for the micro-windmills, including providing energy for residential homes. The micro-windmills could be embedded into flat panels that harvest energy for various uses, including lighting, security, or wireless communication.
