9 December 2008
The plug-in mobile phone charger could soon become obsolete if technology being developed by Intel becomes a reality.
According to reports, the computer chip manufacturer is working on a sensor that can be installed in mobile phones and can harvest free power from the environment.
It would capture energy from sources such as sunlight and body heat, allowing the handset to effectively recharge itself.
"Wouldn't it be nice if, in fact, you were able to go almost indefinitely without charging the battery, if you were able to scavenge enough free energy from the environment?" said Intel's Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner.
He pointed out that there are already a number of products available on the market that generate their own energy, such as watches than run off body heat.
Meanwhile, O2 has launched an energy-efficient mobile phone charger which it claims can reduce energy consumption by up to 70% compared to conventional models.
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