Recently, Designboom offered a challenge to designers: imagine future computing.
The results of the Fujitsu Design Award 2011 “A Life with Future Computing” competition are now in, and one of entries selected from among 3,000 submissions, the Ecopad, has been recognized with a “judge’s special award.”
This vision of greener computing comes in the form of a tablet that recharges its own energy via piezoelectrics — i.e., by harvesting energy generated via the movement of human hands as they use the tablet’s touchscreen.
According to Ecowizer, on average, people press their touch screens over 10,000 times a day; the Ecopad gets rid of the old AC adaptor simply by harvesting that energy via a nano piezoelectricity film located below the touchscreen display.
The design works with current touchscreen technology in use in commercialized tablet PCs and smart phones while working electricity generation directly into their use, overcoming the traditionally limited battery lives of such products.
In recognition of this forward-thinking green design, the designers of the Ecopad will receive €1,000 ($1416 USD).
