Green Electronics Archives – The Green Optimistic

How to Beat the Agony of a Dying Phone Battery

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 14 May 2019 10:10:58 +0000

Phones and tablets are our main computers these days. We rely on them. Manufacturers limit the device’s performance once battery capacity has dropped below a certain threshold. And most of the time, people don’t realize that. Batteries are usually overlooked when we buy a new phone or tablet. They’re seen as the “fuel tank” that […]

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Lighty, the Smart Robotic Projector That’s Greener Than a TV

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 11:55:25 +0000

Electronic junk is renowned nowadays for being one of the worst pollution sources ever. People don’t recycle their old phones, TVs, radios and so on, and this is going to lead to bad things in the long run. TVs, in particular, are great power-sippers and a lot of materials go into making one. A young company […]

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SunPort: The Outlet Extender that Offsets its Carbon Footprint

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 06:17:41 +0000

A crowdfunding campaign from a company called SunPort is seeking funding for an outlet extender that offsets the carbon footprint of whatever device is being powered. It looks like a typical converter for electrical outlets, but instead of making a two-prong outlet into a three-prong one, it records the amount of electricity that was used and […]

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7 Incredible Green Computer Concepts

Mila Luleva — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 17:04:09 +0000

Green alternatives to anything should always be the preferred option. The market offers everything from energy-efficient appliances, LEDs, solar panels, EVs, all the usual suspects, the list is endless. Where it is slowly becoming more interesting, however, is the field of green electronics, and especially computers. Here is a compilation of a few eco-friendly computer concepts […]

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Top 5 Super Green Technologies at Consumer Electronics Show 2015

Mila Luleva — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 14:32:10 +0000

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 held this week in Las Vegas has provided a platform for numerous emerging inventors and established technology makers to showcase the latest green breakthroughs and innovative ideas. As it is every year, the annual event is seen as the place where the technologies of the future are introduced to the […]

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New Biodegradable Battery Leads Way to Greener Electronics

Mila Luleva — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 19:37:51 +0000

Recycling of used batteries is always a big challenge. Regardless of how many improvements to current energy storage devices are made, sooner or later they all end up at the same place. We hope this is a battery recycling facility, but the reality is that often it is simply the landfill site. Now, a team […]

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New Artificial Graphene Might Change the Future of Electronics

Mila Luleva — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 14:43:40 +0000

If you think that graphene is the wonder material that can completely transform the future solar cells, electronic devices, and batteries, wait until you read this. A new, artificial graphene, has the same structure as the real thing but it can be modified in shape and size so that it improves the performance of any […]

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Solar-Powered Robots Control Traffic And Issue Fines In Congo

Mila Luleva — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 16:01:21 +0000

When a driver speeds through a red light risking not only his life but also that of others, there is not much anyone could do. Regardless of how high the fines are, there is always going to be someone, who thinks he is above the law and is allowed to sacrifice innocent people instead of […]

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New Solar Powered, Touch-Controlled MacBook Might Be Just Around The Corner

Mila Luleva — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:54:35 +0000

If you ever wondered when the time of solar powered laptops will come, or who would be the first tech giant to develop them, wonder no more. Apple has finally received their patent with the very humble title “Electronic device display module“, which allows them to be the one and only makers of notebooks with […]

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Kids Create Battery From Brussels Sprouts to Light Christmas Tree

Mila Luleva — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 19:31:55 +0000

In their search for the best way to remove the most hated vegetable on the Christmas table, engineers from the Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair, together with seven children from City of London Academy, Islington, developed the first ever battery from 1,000 tiny green Brussels sprouts. The generated energy was used to power […]

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Apple Could Manufacture Mac Pro in U.S. Using Renewable Energy

Mila Luleva — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 14:05:40 +0000

Arizona is about to be the host of the latest manufacturing plant, where iPhones and iPads will be made using only renewable energy. The giant in the electronic industry, Apple, has decided to transform a site that used to belong to a solar panel manufacturer into a million dollar “green” facility, which will not only […]

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Graphene Closer to Becoming Suitable for High-Efficiency Electronics

Mila Luleva — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 16:11:46 +0000

Researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are one step closer to turning graphene into the most desired material for producing ultrahigh-efficiency solar cells and electronics. By examining the material at an atomic level, the team was able to establish the reason why the thin sheet of carbon cannot control the electron current. Ever since […]

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“Sol” Solar Powered Laptop Charges in 2h and Runs for 10

Mila Luleva — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 15:04:44 +0000

A solar powered laptop operating for nearly 10 hours after only 2 hours of charging is the latest technology from the Canadian company WeWi. The must-have gadget, called Sol is a Ubuntu-powered laptop equipped with unfolding solar panels and a chip instead of the ARM processor. The revolutionary laptop has all the features that anyone […]

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Top 10 Green Gadgets You Need in Case of Emergency

Mila Luleva — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 09:56:35 +0000

Increasing intensity and number of storm events, sea level rise, flooding… It is incredible how every day there is at least one headline warning us to be prepared for any possible events that might occur as a result of the continuously changing climate and global warming. Currently, technology has advanced to such extent, that it […]

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Graphene the Magic Bullet for Extending the Life of Electronics

Leigh Hutchens — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 04:46:47 +0000

According to Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, the working temperature of a processor can be lowered up to 25% just by using one single layer or graphene. Keeping electronics cool is one of the keys to prolonging lifespan. The working life of an electronics system is halved by a working temperature of just 10 […]

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Window Socket Sticks to Windows and Solar-Powers Gadgets

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 02 May 2013 07:10:01 +0000

Ever wanted to harness that free energy coming from the Sun and put it into your gadget? If this project succeeds, all you have to do it plug the cord into your window, and the thing will charge! Sounds weird, right? Not that weird, if you take into account that the Window Socket, designed by […]

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How to Make a $1 Speaker Out of Recycled Paper Plates

Ovidiu Sandru — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 07:49:52 +0000

This project can prove itself green if you use leftover plastic plates from a picnic, some magnets you have lying around and some copper wire from an old TV or radio. You can get yourself a nice speaker, entertain your kids and at the same time teach them something useful. So here’s this Youtube guy, […]

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Solar Cells and Supercapacitors Improved by New 3D Germanium Sulfide Nanostructure

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:06:04 +0000

Next-generation supercapacitors and solar cells could be improved by a newly-created germanium sulfide (GeS) nanomaterial resembling a shish-kebab. North Carolina State University researchers put up a three-dimensional structure that consists of multiple bi-dimensional nanosheets impaled by a one-dimensional nanowire of germanium sulfide. To create the heterosurface, the researchers begin by creating the nanowire 100 nanometers […]

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Electromagnetic Harvester Able to Charge Batteries Using Ambient Energy

Mike Sandru — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:59:23 +0000

In a world where electromagnetic fields are so commonplace with the likes of electronic gadgets, power lines and vehicles continuously emitting the invisible force the fact that this energy cannot be felt does not mean that it is not possible to harvest the energy from electromagnetic fields. That is exactly what Dennis Siegel, of the […]

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Paper-Based Transistors: A Step Closer to Renewable Printed Electronics

Mila Luleva — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:41:54 +0000

In recent years we saw electronic devices including batteries and light-emitting diodes made of paper instead of glass or plastic. Now, the latest innovation in the field of electronics uses transparent and smooth paper to fabricate transistors. This was made possible due to the property of paper to absorb inks, which contain pigments used to […]

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Uranium-Based Material Could Lead to Better Superconductors

Benji Jerew — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:52:16 +0000

Mention uranium, and you may think of two applications right off the bat, nuclear power generation and atomic weapons. These two things may bring some problems to mind, such as nuclear meltdown, fallout, and winter. Physicists, on the other hand, don’t see things quite so dismally, and continue to experiment with uranium for more benign […]

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Ten Times Longer Battery Life Thanks to New Semiconductor Material

Mila Luleva — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:46:24 +0000

Novel methods and materials that can be used in building integrated circuits have the potential to reduce power, which would ultimately lead to extending battery life of mobile applications up to 10 times. This was demonstrated by a team of researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology, international semiconductor consortium SEMATECH and Texas State University. […]

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New Ferroelectric Material Used for Eco-Friendly Electronics

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:34:54 +0000

Researchers may have found a way to reduce the negative environmental impact of electronic devices. Massimo Capone and Gianluca Giovannetti of Istituto Officina dei Materiali at CNR and of the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste (SISSA) have created a new ferroelectric material called diisopropylammonium bromide (DIPAB) that can be used in electronic devices. DIPAB, […]

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Highly Efficient Light-Emitting Diode Mimics Fireflies

Mila Luleva — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 08:57:08 +0000

Studying the structure of firefly lanterns, scientists from Belgium, France and Canada were able to identify a pattern of jagged scales that enhances the glow of the organs. They used this to create an LED overlayer, which increases the LED light extraction by up to 55%. The study published in the latest issue of the […]

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GE’s Ultra-Thin Piezo Technology Used to Cool Future Laptops and Tablets

Benji Jerew — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:04:37 +0000

As electronics get smaller, faster, and more powerful, the devices we count on in our everyday connected lives tend to get hotter, requiring some kind of cooling device. Laptops have enough room for a fan to extract heat from the CPU and memory modules, but sometimes these can become noisy. Additionally, fans take up a […]

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New Computer Memory from UCLA is 1,000 Times More Efficient

Benji Jerew — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:52:28 +0000

Computer memory is a vital component to any system build, making high-powered applications, including graphics, video, and gaming, a possibility. Random Access Memory [RAM] modules offer storage of temporary computer data, up to 32 GB on some systems, at a much faster rate than accessing a hard drive. Typical RAM access times range in the […]

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Fluorescent Material with 100% Internal Quantum Efficiency to be Used in OLED Devices

Mila Luleva — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:56:51 +0000

A new OLED light-emitting fluorescent material with internal quantum efficiency of 100% was developed by The Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics Research (OPERA) of Kyushu University. Unlike conventional high quantum efficiency materials, the newly developed one, called “Hyperfluorescence” does not use rare metals, as announced by Nature magazine last week. According to the project […]

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Toshiba Provides Solution to Smartphone Power Consumption

Mila Luleva — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:40:00 +0000

A brand new technology by Toshiba Corp will cut down the power consumption of smartphones and tablet computers. The Spin Transfer Torque Magnetic Random Access memory, or STT-MRAM, uses non-volatile cache memory, which switches off the power supply automatically if the gadget is not in operation. Traditional STT-MRAM is currently used for cache memory, but […]

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Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Replace Indium-Oxide in Screen Displays

Mila Luleva — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:59:22 +0000

A breakthrough development emerged from the U.S Department of Energy’s (DOE) Ames Laboratory. Scientists have discovered a way to replace breakable metal-oxide, indium tin oxide, used in screen displays in computers, TVs and cell phones, with a polymer in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The findings were recently published in the journal Advanced Materials, with […]

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Electronics-Scavenged Gallium Responsibly Recycled by Mitsubishi

Benji Jerew — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:53:12 +0000

Often, recovering rare-earth elements from recycled scraps, such as scrap electronic devices or car electronics, requires processes that aren’t very earth-friendly. Gallium [Ga], for instance, which is used in semi-conductors, including light emitting diodes [LED], photovoltaic [PV] cells, and transistors, currently has a global demand of about 200 tons. Clearly, recovering gallium is economically important. […]

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Samsung and LG Manufacture the Greenest TVs

Benji Jerew — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:31:42 +0000

No, we’re not talking about RGB balance, but in terms of efficiency, Samsung and LG’s flat-panel televisions are the most energy efficient available. Producing light and sound on high-definition flat-panel displays is energy intensive. Add in anti-ghosting and 3D technologies, and the power draw just goes up. Finally, even when modern televisions are “OFF” or […]

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New LCD Panel Offers Huge Power Savings While Displaying Static Images

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 12:03:02 +0000

Usually, when you watch your LCD TV, no matter what it displays, the power consumption remains the same. A new technology developed by Japan Display Inc does different: when the image shown on the screen is static, the power consumption drops to 3 milliwatts (mW). A low-temperature reflective polycrystalline silicon TFT sits and the foundation […]

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Solar-Powered Lamp, Phone Charger and Sound Amplifier: All-In-One

Mila Luleva — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:42:05 +0000

Imagine you have a lamp that runs on solar-power and not only provides light during those late-night hours, but also charges your cell phone or USB devices, and can serve as an electricity-free sound amplifier for your MP3 player or a smartphone. BRIGHT Products have developed a new device that can offer all this. The […]

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Water Powered Alarm Clock Keeps Track of Time Using Only Tap Water

Mila Luleva — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:28:09 +0000

Do you usually take ages to pick the best birthday or graduation present for a friend? And does it become harder when this person is fascinated by eco-friendly technologies, and takes no less? Mark Bedol’s new invention might be the solution to your problem. A Water Alarm Clock, with a smooth design, alarm function, battery […]

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New PCM Memory Encoding Technique Saves 30% Energy

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:51:35 +0000

A new memory technology coming from Rice University and UCLA could slash 30 percent or even more of the energy needed today by flash memory. Not only that, but the new “phase-change memory” (PCM) is much faster than flash (the type used in USB drives). PCM is not new to scientists – it shares the […]

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Ikea Unveils Chic Cardboard Digital Camera

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:53:46 +0000

Digital cameras have had such tremendous success since their invention that anyone with a cellphone (even the cheapest ones) or a laptop has them embedded – they’re like the buttons on a shirt. Ikea is now celebrating digital cameras in a greener fashion with a cardboard model. To commemorate the 2012 Fuorisalone held in Milan […]

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Grad Student Finds Better WiFi Management That Could Save Power

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:30:24 +0000

Since its appearance on mobile devices, the Wi-Fi technology has been draining the battery of Windows Mobile, iOS and Android phones continuously. The drain is due to the fact that the more wireless devices are within an area, the more they need to be awake to make data transfers, since so-called "collisions" between them appear all the time.

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A New Step Taken Towards Spray-On Solar Cells and Self-Powered e-readers

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:08:11 +0000

University of Florida researchers have invented spray-on polymers that can reflect or transmit any color, and can be applied to glass or plastics as well. "That's what this newest paper is about, but we've also developed polymer coatings for all the other colors of the spectrum," said John Reynolds, a scientist at the University of Florida who led a team that developed the clear-to-black polymers.

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GreenDroid: Newly Developed Smartphone Chip Uses 11 Times Less Energy Per Instruction

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:32:05 +0000

Smartphones are looked upon as the most sophisticated and trendy devices there are on the market nowadays, since mostly everyone wants or uses one. Still, with the coming of Google's Android and the freedom from Microsoft's Windows Mobile, no big changes have been made to green up these devices, as their power consumption grows exponentially.

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New Display Technology Uses Gratings to Control Color, Enhances Efficiency 400%

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:34:35 +0000

LCDs have been here for quite a while, using the same technology implemented for the first time in the 1970s. It's high time someone invented a different method of displaying colors in a controlled manner, for the sake of price and energy consumption.

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Japanese Company Suggests Use of Organic Solar Cells in Low Power Gadgets

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:55:03 +0000

Photovoltaic solar cells are often used in centralized power harvesting installations, generating large amounts of energy for use in the grid. Rohm Co Ltd, on the other hand, proposes the usage of organic photovoltaic solar cells (dye-sensitized cells) in small appliances and healthcare devices.

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Aquafairy's New Range of Cheap Fuel Cells for Portable Electronic Devices

Mike Sandru — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:20:52 +0000

Today, the commercially available devices powered by fuel cells are still pretty pricey. But Kyoto-based Aquafairy has presented a new range of affordable fuel cells for portable electronic devices.

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Novacell – The Fast Pocket-Sized Solar Powered Universal Charger

Mike Sandru — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:38:50 +0000

A California based company called SunCore has developed a pocket-sized universal charger powered by solar energy. The new device dubbed Novacell is an external charger that will power mobile devices via a USB connection. It is able to recharge the majority of Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), iPods, GPS units, digital still and video cameras and other gadgets.

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HP Reduces Discarded Batteries by Making Them Last Much Longer

Mike Sandru — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:07:59 +0000

HP has announced a new range of notebook batteries developed by Boston Power, which will be available for 18 existing notebook models developed by the company representing approximately 70 percent of HP's consumer notebook PC portfolio and will be available with a 3-year warranty.

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