Capacitive electromagnetic fields are created by a simple current flow in devices like photocopiers, printers, coffee makers, wireless devices , and electric substations. Most of these activities involve the transfer of information as their primary purpose but there byproduct is capacitive electromagnetic fields that can be harvested using coils and high-frequency diodes.
Dennis Siegal a 24-year-old student studying Digital Media at the University of Arts in Bremen, Germany, is as close to a “Renaissance Man” as they come. Siegal studies interactive and visual design, photography, filming, 3-D design, physical computing and rapid prototyping.
Siegal has designed a small handheld harvesting device that taps into electromagnetic fields storing their energy in a rechargeable battery. An LED on the device indicates the strength of the electromagnetic field. If the field is strong the device charges its battery within 24 hours.
Siegal is quick to add that he isn’t looking for a free lunch but to increase awareness of the invisible electromagnetic spaces to which people can be granted access through his device.
Siegal has designed two versions of his harvester. A smaller harvester is suitable for lower frequencies below 100 Hz and a larger version suitable for higher frequencies like radio broadcasts (100 MHz), Bluetooth networks (900-1800 MHz) and WLANs (2.4 GHz)
Electromagnetic Harvester from Dennis Siegel on Vimeo.
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