Electronics users may soon never have to plug their electronic gadgets into a wall again thanks to the latest innovations in thin solar film technology.
French company Wysips is planning to launch their innovations, a transparent solar film that will fit over a device’s screen, charging it as a solar powered wireless charger. The company, which has won first place in CTIA’s 2011 Emerging Technology competition, says that the solar film will be available in flexible or rigid formats, with thicknesses of between 0.1mm and 0.5mm.
The solar film has an efficiency of 10 per cent, but can scales easily in size, so that it can be used for relatively large areas, the company says. It also claims that it can be built into screens, fabrics, plastics, and other materials, without affecting their appearance, making it ideal for mobile electronic gadgets.
The material could be particularly useful for the growing e-book reader category, most of which rely on electronic paper that carries an image with power. These books, which draw power only to change the image on the page, are likely candidates for the material, because their power draw is already so low.
However, Wysips is setting its sights with the innovations on a wide range of potential markets, envisaging tents with built-in light sources, or garden furniture that can similarly power electrical gadgets. Street furniture and advertising, along with sailing and leisure, also feature in the potential applications for the solar film material, the company said.
It is hoped that the transparent solar film will ship within a year, and will add around $1 to the cost of individual mobile gadgets.
