News

Georgia Institute of Technology Unveils Micro-Generator

November 26, 2004 by Jeff Shepard

A new micro-generator developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology holds promise for the future of micro-generator technology in electronic devices. The latest research, funded by the US Army to find alernatives to batteries, has produced a micro-generator the size of a dime that can produce over 1 W of electricity, making it viable for use in mobile phones.

Coupled with a power source, the micro-generator becomes a micro-engine, and can then be used in electronic devices to power them. The electricity is created from spinning a magnet over a mesh of coils on a chip, and the team hopes to power its microengine with a small turbine or jet. The higher the power required, the faster the magnet has to rotate.

The Georgia Institute researchers have stated that the finished micro engine will have a power output of between 20 W and 50 W, making it feasible for powering laptops. The micro engine's other advantages are that it can produce more power than current batteries and lasts 10 times longer.