Team Wins UMD Sustainability Grant to Improve Cell Phone Battery LifeA University of Maryland (UMD) student team—Team PIEZO, led by Associate Professor Bao Yang—received a $1400 grant through the Maryland Sustainability Fund to improve cellphone battery life by integrating piezoelectric materials. Team PIEZO is working to integrate piezoelectric materials in a touchscreen to make cellphones more reliant on renewable energy. Over the next three years, the team will be creating a new form of touchscreen technology, which receives its energy and sensing ability from piezoelectric sensors. The integration of piezoelectric materials could increase the battery life of smart phones by twenty-five percent. This increase in battery life could allow consumers to use their phones for longer periods of time without having to use a charger. The research team will look into the ideal mounting and electrical design of such a touchscreen in order to maximize the increase in battery life and build a functioning prototype.
Team PIEZO members:
Team PIEZO includes students from Mechanical Engineering as well as other departments, and all of the students are part of UMD's Gemstone Program, a unique multidisciplinary four-year research program for selected undergraduate honors students of all majors that challenges and supports students in the development of their research, teamwork, communication and leadership skills. The University Sustainability Fund provides funding for projects that promote environmental sustainability, and positively impact and enhance the student experience at UMD. Funds are allocated to projects that increase the use of renewable energy on campus and/or in the local community, increase the energy efficiency of our facilities, reduce the amount of waste created and material resources used on campus, encourage sustainable behaviors, and integrate sustainability into teaching, research, and service at UMD.
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