Hamster-Powered Generator? Why Not

- by Bianca Lauren

We all know horses can emit power hence scientists coined the term “horse power”. Who would ever thought that your pet hamster can generate energy? That is what Zhong Li Wang and his team are making. They are manufacturing generators out of piezoelectric nanowires. The latest model in fact consists of zinc-oxide nanowires connected to one another and mounted on a flexible plastic surface. This nanogenerator aims to collect different kinds of biomechanical energy. They did an experiment by placing a small jacket on the hamster’s body. As the hamster runs in the treadmill and scratches itself, an energy produced and harvested by the generator.

At this point, the energy produced by hamster is to small (about a nanowatt) that’s why the power it emits can only be used by nanoscale devices. This little of power can do things like detect cancer proteins or pathogens. What’s in store for this technology is to this power source be used by large-scale electronic device.

Researchers preferably Wang’s group considering the idea to increase the power of this device by adding piezoelectric wires arranged in series. They also consider the theory of making an implantable nanogenerator in the future. This invention can help us generate more power in the future.

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Bianca Lauren writes more on inventions and innovations. She also writes with regards to patent laws and information on how to acquire one. This article “Hamster-Powered Generator? Why Not” along with other invention articles can be found at Invention Madness, her blog that tackles nothing about patent invention and innovation.