Fujitsu Develops Heat and Light Energy Harvesting Device

Fujitsu has developed an energy harvesting device that can generate electricity from heat and light. As seen in the image above, this could potentially be used in medical sensors, generating energy from body heat and ambient light. The company foresees use in battery-less and wireless sensors that monitor conditions such as body temperature, blood pressure and cardiac pulse. The device has been made possible by using a new structure for connecting two types of semiconductor materials, which allows the device to function as a photovoltaic cell or thermoelectric generator. Also, an inexpensive organic material was developed that is suitable for a generator in both photovoltaic and thermoelectric modes. If using either light or heat for power generation is not enough, both sources can be combined when needed. The findings were presented at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting 2010 and Fujitsu plans to commercialize the technology by around 2015.

Press release: Fujitsu Develops Hybrid Energy Harvesting Device for Generating Electricity from Heat and Light…