Wireless keyboards and mice on the market can last up to several months on dry cell batteries. At CES, Lenovo showed off the Mechanical Energy Harvesting Combo concept which is a keyboard and mouse that generates power using a combination of kinetic energy and solar power.
On the keyboard there is a solar panel that charges the built-in battery. A knob on the left side of this keyboard, if turned for five minutes, can generate power for it to be used for 30 minutes. It can also generate electrical power through a mechanical switch when the user types.
Meanwhile on the mouse there is a wheel that when rotated for one minute will give a usage life of 30 minutes. In theory these two computer input devices can operate without the need to use conventional power sources or batteries. At this time the Mechanical Energy Harvesting Combo is still just a concept.
Tags
GADGET