These days giant tech companies are ramping and wanted to be the dominating not to mention become the leading company when it comes to where technology heed. The sprout of the Intenet of Things have buzzed tech companies and clearly these giant companies hold the key to the future of digital technologies in a way or another, as early as now they wanted to nail their dominance as they have already launched products which will contribute to the foundation for the future of things.
From the hardware foundation to the software which will power hardware components these companies are gearing itself for the next age of this world.
Now, the question is with all these technological advancement and development will there be enough power sources to power the future of things?
This is what Ricoh a Japanese technology firm is banking for. The company develop a technology called piezoelectric polymer or energy-generating rubber which is capable of converting pressure and vibration into an electric energy with high efficiency, but leaving it extremely flexible and durable. The company believes that this technology will provide additional power resources as the things of this world advances.
TWO MAJOR FORMS 0F PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS
- Ceramic
- Polymers
To generate electricity these two components uses mechanical strain which in return used in electronics to be a power source for but not limited to vibration and pressure sensors. Like a coin which has two sides these two components apart from having a good side also a bad side as the Ceramics convert vibration to energy with high efficiency, but they’re heavy, fragile, and often include toxic lead, On the other hand Polymers are lighter, more flexible, and more durable, but not very efficient.
THE TECHNOLOGY BY RICOH
Yet with the Japanese technology the two major components of piezoelectric material have been combined to create a whole new energy-generating rubber which has enough flexibility and high energy output. It’s not only less fragile than ceramics, but it’s also more flexible and durable than other polymers; surviving several million uses in testing. In addition, it’s sensitive to light loads, yet generates high output under heavier ones.
No more detailed information provided by the company about its latest technology but it does say that the technology still needs more research before it can produce a commercial version of its energy-generating rubber.