This Wallpaper Pulls Electricity From Thin Air—and Dehumidifies Your Room
Moist-Electric Wallpaper for Indoor Energy Harvesting and Humidity Management
Researchers at Binghamton University have created the first wallpaper-type moist-electric generator. A single paper sheet uses a peripheral-absorption, center-evaporation design: glycerol at the edges captures humidity, a polyvinylpyrrolidone layer drives water inward, and a wax-treated center lets vapor escape while blocking liquid. One unit produces about 0.34 V and 2.2 µW/cm² at 80% relative humidity. A 1,596-unit array powers a wireless keyboard while dropping indoor humidity from 38% to 32%.
A 1596-unit array powers a wireless keyboard and simultaneously reduces indoor humidity from 38% to 32%, transforming passive wall surfaces into self-powered, climate-responsive interfaces.
- MostlyStable
Cool concept. As they mention, more work needs to be done on long term durability, although they saw no degradation in their (very short) testing period. To me, the humidity control seems more worthwhile/useful than the power generation, although that could be a useful solution for small IoT devices like door and window sensors that don't need much power.
I like it as a proof of concept, would love to see a more serious engineering effort to demonstrate what real world costs, durability, and aesthetics might look like (if significant portions of indoor walls are going to be covered in this stuff, it needs to be able to look decent).
- jedberg
I've thought for a while that it would be interesting to have micro dehumidifiers on my roof that supplement my water supply from humidity.
Turn myself into a moisture farmer if you will.
But then I wonder, would it be a problem if everyone did it? Would it cause humidity to drop in a bad way?
- fodkodrasz
Meanwhile I'm struggling to increase humidity as it is unhealthily dry at my place... (and ultrasonic evaporators are a no-go)
- dinkblam
> A 1596-unit array powers a wireless keyboard and simultaneously reduces indoor humidity from 38% to 32%,
isn't below 40% "bad"?
- bix6
That’s impressive humidity drop for a small panel area. Curious how big the room was.