Compute your way to better health
(Credit:
Crave Asia)
The next Tour de France winner may very well be the tech nerd from your IT department if MIT's new invention makes it to the mainstream. Taking a page out of the "GZ PC-Sport and Power Stepper" book, students modified an exercise bike so it can power your laptop.
The device works with a bicycle wheel attached to a generator, which in turn charges a conventional car battery. A 12-volt cigarette-lighter adapter is then used to hook up with your laptop. This prevents overcharge and fluctuating current damaging your PC.
This also begs the question: Does one have to pedal like a madman just to check e-mail? Not really, as these researchers discovered that only 30 watts are required to charge a notebook battery, and the average person can generate up to 75 watts continuously.
(Source: Crave Asia)
