Dandelion Energy

More interesting energy solutions of note.  Note connection to drones.  Practical uses?

 Battery-Free Devices Float on the Wind like Dandelion Seeds

University of Washington News, Sarah McQuate, March 16, 2022

University of Washington (UW) researchers have developed a tiny battery-free device that can be blown by wind currents, like dandelion seeds. The sensor-conveying devices can travel up to 100 meters (roughly 328 feet). Once they land, solar panels power their electronics, which can share sensor data wirelessly up to 60 meters (196 feet) away via backscattering. The devices feature bristles that bend inward, while a ring structure adds stiffness and slows their descent. "Our prototype suggests that you could use a drone to release thousands of these devices in a single drop," said UW's Shyam Gollakota. "They'll all be carried by the wind a little differently, and basically you can create a 1,000-device network with this one drop."