Scientists have developed a device powered by noise to charge a phone battery.
The idea sounds funny but it is actually the result of a new invention by a researcher at the Institute of Nanotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Sang-Woo Kim. The technology is said to have the ability to turn sound into electricity ，which will allow mobile phones to be recharged simply by talking into them.
It could also be used to power up personal music players, raising the possibility of charging an iPod by singing along to your favourite songs.
The only snag is that the greater the volume the greater the charge.
Kim is quoted in Dailymail.co.uk as saying, "The sound that always exists in our everyday life and environments has been overlooked as a source. This motivated us to realise power generation by turning sound energy from speech, music or noise into electrical power."
Kim's device employs tiny strands of zinc oxide, the main ingredient of calamine lotion - sandwiched between two electrodes. A sound-absorbing pad on top vibrates when sound waves hit it, causing the tiny zinc oxide wires to compress and release. This generates electrical current that can then be used to charge a battery. The device can convert sounds of around 100 decibels - the equivalent of noisy traffic, a passing train or a nearby lawnmower - into a mild electrical current.
Although this is not yet enough to charge a phone properly, the inventors are hopeful that altering the material the wires are made from will allow them to produce more energy at lower sound levels. In the nearest future the equipment will scavenge the sound produced by motorway traffic at rush hour and using it to give the national grid a boost. This in turn will have the added benefit for nearby homes of reducing the amount of traffic noise that escapes.
In the US, scientists are currently working on a gadget that converts the movement of the knees while walking into electricity. The knee brace harvests energy generated when someone bends their knee to take a step. It can also help soldiers cut down on the number of batteries they need to carry into battle.


科学家开发出了一项可以通过声音为手机电池充电的技术。

这项技术听起来有些怪异，而事实上它确实是韩国成均馆大学纳米技术学院的研究员金相宇博士的新发明。据说该技术可以将声波转化成电能，从而使手机充电变得很简单，只要对着手机讲话就能实现充电功能。

这项技术也可用于为私人音乐播放器充电，使和着自己喜欢的音乐为iPod充电的可能性大大提高。

但此技术唯一的弊端就是只有通话声音越大，充电量才能越多。
英国《每日邮报》援引金相宇博士的话说："声音存在于我们日常生活和环境中的每一个角落，但把它作为一种资源却一直没有得到重视。这项成果促使我们通过将来自演讲、音乐以及噪音等方面的声能转化成电能来发电。


金翔宇研制的装置将微型氧化锌绳--氧化锌是炉甘石液的主要成分--置于两个电极之间。顶部的一个吸音垫在声音到达时发生振动，促使微型氧化锌绳伸缩。这一过程产生的电流可用于为电池充电。这种装置能将100分贝左右的声音转换成轻微的电流，100分贝相当于嘈杂的车流、一辆疾驰的火车或者附近剪草机工作时发出的噪音。



虽然这一装置还不足以满足手机的充电需求，但工程师认为通过改变细绳使用的材料，便可以更低分贝的声音转换更多电量。在不久的将来，这种装置也可用来清除汽车高速公路高峰时产生的噪音，并将产生的电输送给电网。由于减少交通噪音，附近居民将也成为受益者。


目前，美国科学家正在研制一种可将走路时的膝盖运动产生的能量转换成电能的装置。当人屈膝迈步时，膝行拉条会储存能量。 这种装置还能帮助减少士兵上战场时所需携带的电池数量。

• device [di´vais] n.装置；器具；策略 (初中英语单词)
• charge [tʃɑ:dʒ] v.收费；冲锋 n.费用 (初中英语单词)
• actually [´æktʃuəli] ad.事实上；实际上 (初中英语单词)
• invention [in´venʃən] n.创造；发明；虚构 (初中英语单词)
• institute [´institju:t] n.学院 vt.建立；设置 (初中英语单词)
• ability [ə´biliti] n.(办事)能力；才干 (初中英语单词)
• possibility [,pɔsə´biliti] n.可能(性)；希望；前途 (初中英语单词)
• volume [´vɔlju:m, ´vɑljəm] n.卷；书籍；体积；容量 (初中英语单词)
• generation [,dʒenə´reiʃən] n.发生；世代；同龄人 (初中英语单词)
• energy [´enədʒi] n.活力，精力；能力 (初中英语单词)
• release [ri´li:s] vt&n.释放；放松；赦免 (初中英语单词)
• convert [kən´və:t, ´kɔnvə:t] v.转变 n.改变信仰者 (初中英语单词)
• traffic [´træfik] n.交通，运输 (初中英语单词)
• properly [´prɔpəli] ad.适当地；严格地 (初中英语单词)
• equipment [i´kwipmənt] n.装备，设备 (初中英语单词)
• amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)
• working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)
• movement [´mu:vmənt] n.活动；运动；动作 (初中英语单词)
• electricity [i,lek´trisiti] n.电；电学；电流 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• everyday [´evridei] a.每日的，日常的 (高中英语单词)
• electrical [i´lektrikəl] a.用电的；与电有关的 (高中英语单词)
• ingredient [in´gri:diənt] n.(混合物的)成分 (高中英语单词)
• compress [kəm´pres] v.紧压；压缩；缩小 (高中英语单词)
• battery [´bætəri] n.炮兵连；炮台；电池 (高中英语单词)
• equivalent [i´kwivələnt] a.相等的 n.同等物 (高中英语单词)
• hopeful [´həupfəl] a.有希望的，激励人的 (英语四级单词)