 |
Energy Curtain Captures Energy From Sunlight
The Energy Curtain is a window shade that is specially woven from a unique blend - a blend of textiles, solar collection and light emitting materials. It is the product of a research project funded by the Swedish Energy Agency. It was demonstrated at the Wired NextFest 2006 festival of technology at the Javits Center in NYC about a month ago.
(Energy Curtain at NextFest 2006)
During the day, the shade is drawn, lessening the sun's impact inside a dwelling. At night, the energy recovered by the curtain is displayed as a glowing pattern on the inside surface of the shade.
(Energy Curtain detail at NextFest 2006)
The Energy Curtain fabric consists of two layers. The inner layer is woven with optical fibers and the outer layer integrates solar cells. Polyester filament yarns in the middle and on the sides are drawn through the curtain and connected to a bar across the top and bottom.
The Energy Curtain shows how power can be made integral to the function and aesthetic expression of an otherwise ordinary artifact. The residents are actually faced with a choice about energy: they can pull the curtain aside to enjoy the sun's illumination and heat during the day, or they can pull the curtain closed, and make use of the energy gained that evening.
In this way, the object acts to stimulate reflection on the trade-offs with regards to a local, sustainable system and a basis for exploring how people might evolve a relationship with such a self-sustaining object and their own energy behaviors over time.
(Energy Curtain returns light at night)
See also the disappearing pattern bathroom shower tiles that demonstrate hot water energy use (another STATIC! project).
Thanks again to the organizers of NextFest (see more NextFest 2006 Devices, Stories and Pictures). Read more about the Energy Curtain in this Energy Curtain pdf.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 11/2/2006)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Engineering ")
Tiny LEDs Developed For Dust-Sized Computers
'They use sparkles to talk to each other...' - Neal Stephenson, 1995.
Seabreacher, H.G. Winter's 1939 Torpoon
'Ken lay full-length in the padded body compartment, his feet resting on the controlling bars of the directional planes, hands on the torpoon's engine levers.' - HG Winters, 1939.
Project Soli Radar Gesture Chip Now FCC Approved
'He waved his hand and the circuit switched abruptly.' - Philip K. Dick, 1955.
Implosion Fabrication Shrinks 3D Objects To Nanoscale
'Carter had watched miniaturization a hundred times...' - Isaac Asimov, 1965.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Current News
Michelin Self-Sealing Tires On Ford's Explorer
'...a seal of compressed plastifoam to save the air.'
Mushroom Eats Plastic, Saves Planet
Fungus Amongus, SaveUs!
Juggalo Face Paint Disrupts Facial Recognition
'... designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
Mojipic Smart Voice Vehicle Emojis
KITT, what's your response?
Unusual Twist On Woman Dates Robot
'My hearing, vision and awareness went along with that excellent imitation of a young Adonis...'
BrainNet Triple Telepathic Gaming Threat
'In the gloomy half-darkness the three idiots sat babbling.'
AVAS Noisemakers Required For EVs By EU
'...a sound tape to supply the noise of a soi-disant "[internal combustion]" engine...'
Pun Generation Via Neural Nets
'You said you wanted him to be able to distinguish between laugh-power in different gags...'
Blood Battery Robotic Fish
'With one fluid motion, it surged forward, plunged, and was gone.'
Lightyear One Solar-Powered Electric Car (Design By Heinlein)
'It drew its power from six square yards of sunpower screens on its low curved roof.'
'Agression Detectors' Don't Work When Spying On Students
'The professional agitators had also learned how to modulate their voices below the danger level...'
Mining Of Golden Asteroid Foretold In 1898 Science Fiction
'This must be a golden planet—this little asteroid.'
Miners! NASA Wants To License RASSOR Excavator
'The borers had been dismantled and packed away.'
Bee+ Robobee Now With Four Wings
'It was a tiny thing, scarcely more than an inch and a half in length...'
CNSILK Robotic Spider Builder
'We could certainly spin a web right through the Solar System, if we can think of a good use for one.'
Starshade Will Help Space Telescope To Search For Exoplanets
'When it found planetary systems in its field, automatically shifted upon them a higher powered telespectroscope ...'
