<![CDATA[Gizmodo: serious magic]]> http://tags.gizmodo.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: serious magic]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/seriousmagic http://gizmodo.com/tag/seriousmagic <![CDATA[Magic Backpack Straps Generate Power]]> Forget about setting up that windmill on top of your backpack to juice up all those gadgets; now you can just use the weight of the backpack itself to generate power with these energy-harvesting backpack straps. Sure, someone thought of an energy-generating backpack before, but these straps are the tricky part here, using a special piezoelectric material called polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), generating electrical charges when stress is applied. Sounds like some serious magic.

Instead of cutting into your shoulders, these nylon-like straps convert that mechanical strain into electrical energy, and researchers have figured out that if you carry a 100-pound pack and walk at 2-3 mph you can generate 45.6 mW of power. That's enough to the power an iPod, or maybe a head-mounted flashlight. But a 100-pound pack? They're saying that's a typical weight for soldiers to carry. That'll make you think twice about signing up to go to Iraq. [Physorg, via Medlaunches]

]]> http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=300458&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mystery Bulb Lights Up While Hanging in Space]]> What? Lightbulbs don't need to be screwed in any more? This picture of a mysteriously levitating lightbulb is said to be an unaltered photo of an art piece to be demonstrated at an exhibition in Barcelona later this week. A new version of an earlier prototype, the scant info released thus far tells us it's an electromagnetically levitated lightbulb, and that it's wirelessly powered.

What else do we know about this seemingly supernatural feat?

It's been improved over its predecessor from a couple of years ago, and its creator says it has much higher efficiency, letting the lightbulb glow brighter and use less electricity at the same time. Using those weird magnets, it's able to hang there in space, 2.5 inches above its base. Apparently, there are electromagnets inside the bulb that repel those magnets on the ceiling and floor of this installation.

Geez, there are great strides being made with this wireless electricity. Today's parlor trick may end up being tomorrow's everyday tech. – Charlie White

Light Bulb [Jeff Lieberman, via SlashGear]

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