True or Scam ?

A quick scan.. looks like a TEG

George h.

It looks *very* CAVEAT EMPTOR to me. I don't doubt that they can generate a small thermocouple potential from two different metals but the patent looks like the sort of flim flam for a disguised perpetual motion machine that I thought USPTO were supposed have stopped accepting.

Usually it comes from a heat engine of some sort working between two

That said you could do a very convincing fake electrostatic grade power device that lasts almost forever using ancient Zamboni pile technology.

hink

Looks like a basic R&D scam. Separating molecules by temperature difference /passively/, no.

NT

What I read talks about Maxwell's demon. They also talk about separating t he more energetic from the less energetic molecules in the unit and working with the ambient temperature. No mention of a hot and a cold source. So this sounds to me like zero-point energy. Bottom line is it appears to be violating basic laws of thermodynamics.

I wouldn't worry about it. If it pans out we will know.

They address some of those concerns in the FAQ.

I don't know enough about materials science or thermodynamics to really give a take on it but at least they do seem to acknowledge some common engineering objections in a fairly transparent way which seems more upstanding than many scams.

I would not immediately assume it is a scam but the amount of deliverable power at room temperature will surely be quite small, so applications will be limited to the use cases they state e.g. micropower remote sensing.

A module you could use to replace the battery in battery-backed CMOS SRAM in older equipment that you never had to replace and had theoretically-infinite retention too (unlike a supercapacitor, say) would be kinda cool.

the more energetic from the less energetic molecules in the unit and worki ng with the ambient temperature. No mention of a hot and a cold source. S o this sounds to me like zero-point energy. Bottom line is it appears to b e violating basic laws of thermodynamics.

I'm sure it'll pan out very well for the researchers. They won't even need to do any research.

They address some of those concerns in the FAQ.

The claim is that with whatever this new research is with some fancy-schmancy materials science at very small power levels thermodynamics is not violated.

The power output will be small. It will not run your PC or even your cell phone.

" 5?W device: 34mm X 34mm X 1mm ? 1.2V output, 4.2?A continuous current"

not exactly headline-shattering "free energy"

Outright scams tend to promise the world and a partridge in a pear tree, this one seems a bit more humble in its claims so I'm not ready to jump on the it's-a-scam!!! bandwagon.

It's possible that they are mistaken and the effect their seeing is not what they believe it to be, but that doesn't immediately imply malice aforethought or a scam.

The power levels are so low how do they know they're not just picking up ambient RF for example. I live a couple miles from a 50kW clear channel AM transmitter probably pull a few microwatts of "free energy" from that sumbitch right here.

They may even believe what they are saying too, but it looks to me after reading their FAQ that they have built a Zamboni pile of sorts.

They should have announced it on 1st April for good measure.

hink

Sure, even if they have designed a very effective battery, if the energy de nsity is high enough, it can replace batteries in the applications they des cribe. There are very few low power applications where you need or can exp ect a device to continue to operate for more than ten years without attenti on. So if this cell can pump out 5 uW for 20 years, it may be useful regar dless of the presence of demons or not.

Right, as I say they may be mistaken about the effect they're seeing but that doesn't immediately imply malice aforethought. Sometimes that Kool Aid you make yourself is just so tempting.

It'll come out in the wash eventually.

I was just talking with a guy who has a beloved vintage synthesizer and is very concerned that the SRAM backup battery will leak all over and ruin his beloved synthesizer and boutique techno patches. He wants his botique techno patches to outlast him. He'd pay good money for a product like this one I'm sure...

Granted you could just change it every year and reduce the chances of that eventuality to near nothing but some people don't think that way I guess.

I'm probably not going to invest in that one I'm saving my pennies. I really want to invest in "Electricity" I think that's the technology to go with. I looked thru the stock section of the paper trying to find the symbol for Electricity, Inc. but unfortunately I couldn't find it, maybe they haven't done an IPO, yet.

But anyway I have an electric car and electric cigarette from them so I think the writing's on the wall - this "electricity" stuff is going to be really big, someday.

ite

think

e,

y density is high enough, it can replace batteries in the applications they describe. There are very few low power applications where you need or can expect a device to continue to operate for more than ten years without att ention. So if this cell can pump out 5 uW for 20 years, it may be useful r egardless of the presence of demons or not.

Can't he just replace the batteries on a regular basis?

ite

think

e,

y density is high enough, it can replace batteries in the applications they describe. There are very few low power applications where you need or can expect a device to continue to operate for more than ten years without att ention. So if this cell can pump out 5 uW for 20 years, it may be useful r egardless of the presence of demons or not.

At 4 uA a AA battery would last ~250,000 hours. ~25 years. (Assuming no leakage :^)

George H.

ite

think

ot

ntinuous current"

Yes, I saw that too. For the size, you sure don't get much power, which will greatly limit the useful applications.