Apple is Seeking for Engineer Experienced in Thin-Film Solar Technology

         A new listing on Apple's website suggests Apple could be looking to add solar technology into mobile devices. Discovered by 9to5Mac, the listing outlines a candidate that needs to be experienced with thin-film technologies and refinement of how that technology integrates with electronic systems. This could also potentially point to future Apple products having solar charging capabilities.
        In the past, Apple has filed for patents pertaining to the use of solar assemblies directly in a smartphone display, and the company has already made clear its desire to use panels at its Spaceship campus. Hiring someone on with extensive solar and semiconductor experience could help Apple on a path toward having their mobile devices that harness the sun. Simply imagine if there were all Apple products having solar charging capabilities, how wonderful that would be to not worry about your phone dying on the most crucial moments (especially when everyone is on their phones 24/7).

Apple's spaceship campus

Volta Racer -- World's First Solar-Powered Car (for Kids!)

       ToyLabs Inc. (Silicon Valley start-up) has unveiled its latest production as well as being the world's first solar-powered toy called Volta Racer. This toy has the components of a flexible polycrystalline silicon solar panel that helps capture sunlight to power up the toy. As produced initially to have children learn the advantages of green power and harnessing the sun's energy to power up future gadgets, ToyLabs has made the solar-powered toy from eco-friendly recyclable damage resistant materials cut at roundish angles so that it doesn't cause any damage to the kids. 

       Interestingly, the device can be assembled in a matter of 15 minutes, giving more insight on how kids can learn the basic concepts of solar electricity and mechanical engineering. Volta Racer can also traverse easily upon any terrain and only moves in either a straight line or roundish path depending on the setting of axle by the user.

The Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Panel

      Not being able to be remote-controlled may be the only downside to this remarkable yet educational toy for your kids but one is able to purchase the Volta Racer for only $25, which also gives you a variety of five color options to choose from. Even though it may not be remote-controlled, I'm sure it'll still bring enjoyment to kids as well as making them realize the importance of harnessing natural sources of energy in the not-so-distant future.

Recyclable Solar Cells Created using Trees

       Researches have developed recyclable and efficient solar cells using natural substrates from plants like trees. Georgia Institute of Technology and Purdue University researchers wrote in the journal Scientific Reports about how the solar cells can be recycled quickly in water at the end of their lifecycle. The team's solar cells are capable of reaching a power conversion efficiency of 2.7%.
       During the recycling process, the solar cells are immersed in water at room temperature, and within minutes, the CNC substrates on which the solar cells are fabricated can be separated easily into its major components.
       Georgia Tech College of Engineering Professor Bernard Kippelen, who led the study, said the method opens up the door for a truly recyclable, sustainable and renewable solar cell technology. "The development and performance of organic substrates in solar technology continues to improve, providing engineers with a good indication of future applications," Kippelen, who is also the director of Georgia Tech's Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics (COPE), said in a statement. "But organic solar cells must be recyclable. Otherwise we are simply solving one problem, less dependence on fossil fuels, while creating another, a technology that produces energy from renewable sources but is not disposable at the end of its lifecycle."
       Current organic solar cells are fabricated on glass or plastic, but neither is easily recyclable or very eco-friendly. If cells fabricated on glass were to break during the manufacturing process, the material would be difficult to dispose of. The team's cells are made from wood and are green, renewable and sustainable. "Our next steps will be to work toward improving the power conversion efficiency over 10%, levels similar to solar cells fabricated on glass or petroleum-based substrates," said Kippelen. The US forest product industry projects that tens of millions of tons of cellulose nanomaterials from wood could be produced once large-scale production begins in the next 5 years.
        Another new manufacturing method for producing solar cells was unveiled in the journal Advanced Materials in February. MIT researchers described a new process that allows scientists to passivate silicon at room temperatures, which helps with the high price of manufacturing computer chips and solar cells. In the MIT team's process, they decompose organic vapors over wires heated to 572 degrees Fahrenheit. Heating these wires requires less power than illuminating an ordinary light bulb. This process not only opens the door for cheaper solar panels, but also new applications for computer chips.

Source : Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com -- Your Universe Online