Embedded Insiders People & Products Podcast – The State of Quantum Energy Harvesting with Stefan Popov, Evercell
Energy harvesting is not a new concept – solar panels have been around for a long time, and even mechanical watches have had motion-capture systems to wind the mainspring since Rolex invented “Perpetual” movement. However, recent advances in circuit efficiency have made other forms of low-power energy harvesting viable, as they can use the microamps of current provided. Today one can obtain devices that harvest electrical energy using sources ranging from stray RF to beamed laser energy via fiber. One of the more interesting and novel means of energy harvesting is the quantum-tunneling-based Evercell thermal energy technology from Face. Evercell is a passive-structure, semiconductor-based system that exploits principles of quantum physics to produce a small, continuous flow of electric power in virtually any setting. We talked to Stefan Popov, the Managing Partner of QuantumDrive, the exclusive licensee for the use of Face's Evercell power cells in self-powered watches quartz watches. Evercell harvesters consume no fuel, have no moving parts, contain no toxic materials, and require no exposure to other stimuli, including motion, pressure, RF, or electromagnetic energy.
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