The next big thing: Energy harvesting

The air around us is full of electromagnetic radiation – which doesn’t sound like a good thing. However, scientists at the Nokia Research Centre are looking at ways to “harvest” this stray radiation (mostly the result of broadcast signals or communications devices) to power mobile phones.

Though Nokia confirms it is ‘actively pursuing’ the possibility of energy harvesting (or scavenging, as some call it),
a spokesperson adds, ‘Suggestions of this technology featuring in future products are premature and we do not currently have a prototype device.’

So why is it so difficult to get the idea off the ground? Rob Bamforth, principal analyst at technology consultancy Quocirca, says, ‘We are talking about quite small amounts of energy. The challenge is to generate enough power to overcome the inefficiencies in whatever circuitry you put in place to do the power acquisition.’

Even if the technology succeeded, Bamforth adds, it is still inconceivable that you could eliminate the need to charge your phone in another way – which means the commercial significance of energy harvesting may be limited. ‘It’s one of those things that look good in Minority Report but not quite so good in the annual report,’ he quips.

Nevertheless, the technology is already a reality in smartcards (such as London’s Oyster card), and Bamforth reckons it could be applied to other devices with very low energy demands, as well as potentially extending the time your mobile can sit idly between charges. ‘If it could extend the idle time of a phone by, say, ten per cent, it would be useful to add as an upside,’ he concludes.