Posted on 07/08/2011 1:09:28 PM PDT by Red Badger
Researchers have discovered a way to capture and harness energy transmitted by such sources as radio and television transmitters, cell phone networks and satellite communications systems. By scavenging this ambient energy from the air around us, the technique could provide a new way to power networks of wireless sensors, microprocessors and communications chips.
Matter & Energy
Energy Technology Detectors Batteries
Computers & Math
Spintronics Research Computer Science Information Technology
Strange Science Reference
Microwave IEEE 802.11 Radio Radiant energy
"There is a large amount of electromagnetic energy all around us, but nobody has been able to tap into it," said Manos Tentzeris, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering who is leading the research. "We are using an ultra-wideband antenna that lets us exploit a variety of signals in different frequency ranges, giving us greatly increased power-gathering capability."
Tentzeris and his team are using inkjet printers to combine sensors, antennas and energy scavenging capabilities on paper or flexible polymers. The resulting self powered wireless sensors could be used for chemical, biological, heat and stress sensing for defense and industry; radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging for manufacturing and shipping, and monitoring tasks in many fields including communications and power usage.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Uh, I hate to break this to you, but...
One of Neal Boortz's bits that I found particularly amusing was when he put down a particularly shirty, idiotic caller:
"
Ma'am, you might do me a favor. On the back or maybe the bottom, of your radio set, you will find a serial number.
If you will kindly give that number to Royal [the show's call screener], we can arrange to have your radio disconnected from our transmitter.
This would allow us to connect some deserving listener from our waiting list in your place; so your cooperation would be appreciated.
"
Does being on a public street but standing in the shade of a private building constitute theft of comfort?
I was at a outdoor concert in Tempe that was not free that was overlooked by an condo building. On the balconies of this condo there were people watching the concert for free. Were these people on the balcony stealing from the bands or just enjoying the benefits of the advantageous position of their private property or were they obligated to wear blindfolds and earplugs?
The technology is doable. It's just that every time we try it, huge number sof energy-feeding ETs show up and get in the way of us being able to do any real work. We have a complaint in to the Galactic Council, but they say it's a local problem and we have to work it our betwen us.
No, I'm not kidding.
What other personal inventions of excuses will you throw up?
The power drained by these devices from a broadcast power field is diminishing the strength of that broadcast for those in the shadow of those devices, just as a building shadows the broadcast of light from the sun. Subconsciously you are aware of that effect because benefiting from a building’s shadow is an example you gave.
To have the same reach in the presence of such parasitic devices, a signal transmitter would have to amp up its signal. That’s a cost, your parasitic device costs someone else to power it. Theft.
When you stand in the shadow of a building protected from the heat of the sun, you are not costing the building owner anything, he still would have to dissipate the heat of the sun. The sun’s power is free to all. It is similar to using the waste heat of the AC unit. Use all you want!
Damn, beat me to it!
But wouldn't it be a hoot if Rand predicted this back in the 1950s?
Mark
I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but "3D Modelers" have been in use by industries for a number of years, and these are sometimes called "3-D Printers." They create a 3D polymer model for prototyping, before actually creating the object on a CNC machine in metal.
Mark
I can go stand under a high-tension power line, and a sensitive fluorescent bulb will light up.
Does this drain power from the line? Nope. It just captures some of the power that is already overflowing from the line and uses it.
Actually, it does. Thanks to the "Conservation of Energy" law, what's going on is that you're placing an inductive load on the supply, which DOES reduce the amount of power being transmitted to the destination, and is detectable if the load is high enough. It's really no different than tapping into a communications channel, even if you're not physically tapping into it. In fact, this is how "secure communications channels" are monitored, when using copper. And even fiber lines can be monitored for signal loss, if a "tap" is placed on them as well.
Mark
If the balconies were there before the concert was scheduled, then those involved in the concert promotion were aware of the issues. They could have put up some sort of wall or partition, should they have wished to do so.
On the other hand, let's say that there was an empty lot there instead. What if the person who owned that lot decided to put up bleachers, in order to allow himself and others to enjoy the "concert?"
Mark
Isn’t that a U.S. Navy Very Low Frequency antenna used to communicate with submerged submarines?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.