We now have technology that allows us to locate our phones when they run out of battery or send messages even when the battery is dead, but what if in the future we could own a phone that never runs out of battery? It may sound unbelievable, but that is the idea behind a groundbreaking technology called Wysips, which has the ability to convert both artificial light and sunlight into electrical energy for mobile devices.
The Wysips Technology, short for “What You See Is Photovoltaic Surface”, is a product of SunPartner Group (France), a company specializing in new energy technology from sunlight.
It is developed based on a foundation that the manufacturer refers to as “an optical process”. In this process, a half-cylindrical lens is tightly pressed against a photovoltaic layer with a blocking layer, forming an ultra-thin and transparent material. The photovoltaic technology converts sunlight radiation into electricity and semiconductors. Together, they create an optical effect that amplifies the exposure of the photovoltaic cells. Ultimately, electricity is generated by capturing energy from natural or artificial light (such as lamp light).
The Wysips panel can be integrated into device screens and extend battery life by an additional 4 minutes after 10 minutes of exposure.
Wysips is transparent up to 90% according to industry standards and is said to be invisible to the naked eye. This device can be mounted under or on top of the screen surface of smartphones, tablets, and even smartwatches. The combined power from light energy will be directly fed into the phone’s charging circuit, just like when we plug a phone charger into an outlet or USB port. The company also asserts that the Wysips panel does not affect the contrast, brightness, or viewing angles of the phone screen. Moreover, Wysips technology can also be integrated into various types of screens and window glass, which SunPartner believes can turn any surface into a power source.
SunPartner reports that their prototype products achieve a power output of 2.5 milliwatts/cm2 when exposed to sunlight, which allows users to gain an additional 2-4 minutes of talk time after each 10 minutes of light exposure. Products equipped with Wysips panels that have a transparency of 60-70% can generate up to 10 milliwatts of power/cm2, extending battery life by an additional 16 minutes for every 10 minutes of exposure. SunPartner is currently seeking to further enhance the efficiency of converting light into electrical energy.
Last month, SunPartner and smartphone manufacturer TCL Communications announced they are collaborating to develop a smartphone powered by light. The first product is expected to launch in 2014. In this initiative, the Wysips panel will be integrated during the manufacturing process and connected to an electronic chip to simultaneously generate electricity and manage the power supply.
