For example, The Rat has learned that Georgia Tech researchers have actually invented a tiny power generator small enough to power mobile devices, like smart phones.
The generator, called a microengine, is about the size of a dime (or a small piece of cheese) and lasts about 10 times longer than regular batteries.
The generator works by spinning a tiny magnet at 100,000 revolutions per minute over a mesh of coils built onto a chip, generating 1.1 watts of power.
The scientists hope to jack that up in future versions to as many as 50 watts -- strong enough to run a notebook PC.
Although researchers have been working on tiny generators for years, the Georgia Tech device is the first one His Rodenthood has ever seen powerful enough to juice a phone.
The inventors are doctoral candidate David Arnold, postdoctoral fellows Dr. Iulica Zana and Dr. Jin-Woo Park, and Professor Mark Allen, in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech and a team from MIT: Sauparna Das and Dr. Jeffrey Lang in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.