Transparent Solar Cell Sticker Covers Being Developed For iPad
Ubiquitous Energy, a new startup company, is currently developing a transparent stick-on solar cell for use with the iPad and other tablets. The stick-on solar cell will be able to keep the iPad powered throughout the day. The company states that its technology will revolutionize the use of mobile devices, making them nearly independent from wall-charging.
The solar cells are designed to only collect wavelengths “at the ultraviolet and infrared end of the spectrum,” allowing all visible light to pass through and leave a completely transparent screen.
“In contrast, most solar cells collect light in the visible portion of the light spectrum, making it impossible for them to be completely transparent. The solar cells are made from several organic layers that are placed, one layer at a time, on the glass screen of a tablet,” Miles Barr, president and chief technology officer of Ubiquitous Energy, explained to MIT Tech Review.
The company is currently still developing the technology. Release dates and pricing have yet to be announced. The current prototype has achieved about 2% efficiency, as well as a “visible transparency” of about 70%. But those numbers are expected to significantly improve before they are ready for release, according to Barr.
Source: Inhabitat
Image Credits: IPad3 via Wikimedia Commons
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