"Wow! That sounds similar to piezoelectric devices, which convert mechanical stress to electricity and have been around for years. What a scoop!"
Your comment is valid, but little skewed. What is new in this case is not the technology itself, but the idea of gaining energy "for free" from the environment in a way not previously thought of. Piezoelectric devices are powered by batteries or wall outlet power sources---they are not utilized as sources of power.
No, they are not. You might want to do a little research before you challenge an electronics engineer about matters regarding her chosen field.