Laptops powered by typing? Laptops powered by typing!

What’s next? Weight loss by eating? Some dudes in Australia have built just such a computer. The idea of powering a computer using the energy harnessed from typing is attractive and it could be developed for public use thanks to advancements in the area of piezoelectricity. Piezoelectricity is electricity resulting from pressure, a charge in response to mechanical stress. Shut up, I did not have to just look that up. YOU had to look that up. Leave me alone.

The idea might not stop at laptops either: “The power of piezoelectrics could be integrated into running shoes to charge mobile phones, enable laptops to be powered through typing or even used to convert blood pressure into a power source for pacemakers — essentially creating an everlasting battery,” said Dr. Madhu Bhaskaran.

“So SCREW YOU, Radio Shack!”, he didn’t really add.