As many of you probably already know, Mobile World Congress is almost here. That means that announcements will be released, rumors will fly, and neat innovations will be revealed. According to a press release from Japanese electronics manufacturer Kyocera, during Mobile World Congress they plan to display a prototype smartphone that will use utilize solar charging technology. Kyocera has retrofitted one of their smartphones with Wysips Crystal technology on the front panel of the phone.
Wysips Crystal technology is developed by French company Sunpartner Technologies and combines optical and photovoltaic technologies that are capable of pulling power from not only natural light but artificial light as well. Since it is ultra-thin and transparent, it is a perfect match for smartphone and mobile technology. This technology is integrated into the manufacturing process and sites either beneath the screen or on top. This layer is connected to a chip inside the device that manages the power produced by the photovoltaic layer on the outside, or just under the screen of the smartphone or mobile device. What is even more impressive about this technology, is that you can use a feature called LiFi, which will allow you to transmit or receive data using light waves.
This technology will allow you to either recharge your device or drastically reduce the amount of power your phone draws from the battery. When this technology is used in low power devices such as e-readers or low-end mobile phones, it will be capable of keeping the device fully charged. With this technology, you may no longer need to bring along bulky battery packs, or bring a charging cable into work. Your phone could reduce the amount of power used during the day by simply sitting on your desk and soaking up that wonderful fluorescent light (Yes, that was a bit of sarcasm). This technology can help in so many ways, especially during times of emergency. During natural disasters where the power is out, you will be able to charge your phone just by holding it to the sun.
As the need for more renewable power resources becomes important, innovative solutions such as Sunpartner’s Wysips Crystal will lead the way in creating a more renewable energy supply for our power hungry devices. According to information on Sunpatner’s website that is provided by the International Energy Agency, by 2030, mobile devices will account for over 10% of the global power consumption. Innovative technologies need to be developed now to take on this problem so that our devices will be able to get the power they need without increasing the burden on our resources. With technologies such as Wysips Crystal, batteries can be made smaller thus reducing toxic waste caused by depleted and unused batteries. As time goes on, it will be interesting to see how sustainability unfolds in the mobile market. As more and more consumers become environmentally conscious, the need for smartphone manufacturers to incorporate technology such as Wysips Crystal to meet consumer demand will become major selling points. Perhaps there will come a day when our mobile devices will cut ties with batteries all together in favor of a more environmentally sound technology which is better for our future and generations to come.