A crash course in changing the world.
Today, I learned about piezoelectricity, which is electrical energy that is generated by applying pressure to solid materials. As a piezoelectric sensor is compressed and decompressed, squeezed and unsqueezed, it is capable of generating electricity. Sustainable energy sources can potentially be created by embedding piezoelectric materials into everyday objects, such as shoes, tires,... or the human body.
One innovator exploring the applications of piezoelectricity is Dr. Michael McAlpine. He and his team at Princeton have created Piezorubber, a flexible material that produces electricity when it is bent and compressed. McAlpine is currently researching medical applications of Piezorubber, such as harnessing the power of heart patients' lungs. If successful, patients could power their pacemakers simply by breathing, thereby eliminating the need for battery replacement surgery. You can read more about McAlpine and Piezorubber in the Technology Review and Princeton news.
Piezorubber and piezoelectric sensors are intriguing technologies that are being explored to contribute solutions to the world's sustainable energy challenges. I am excited for the future of these sustainable energy technologies and hope to see them available to mass markets sooner rather than later.
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