Motherboard

In the great chase for free, clean energy, kinetic energy has been one of the lesser grails. Save for tidal forces and seismic shifts, the amounts are rather small to start thinking about using kinetic energy to power trains and cars and the like but, as far as personal electronics go—from iPods to pacemakers to GPS units—there’s some hope for using that otherwise wasted body shakin’ for something useful—other than, like, looking good. According to eWeek Europe, Nokia has filed a patent in the U.S. for cell phone technology that “harvests ‘piezoelectric kinetic energy’.” So, imagine a tiny gyroscope-like device in the charger that’s able to take forces from many directions, and covert them to energy.

Eweek cites a statement by the International Energy Agency warning about the dramatic rise in the energy usage of portable technologies over the next 20 years, saying that “this will jeopardize efforts to increase energy security and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.” Cell phone, sure, but I’m thinking Crazy Legs could’ve powered up the Bronx by now.

Unfortunately, this is a patent application, not a product, so details are still pretty vague about how, when, and if this tech will actually hit your pocket. Also, remember the foot-long nPower PEG, a likely similar project announced at 2009’s CES, which is still sitting in the preorder stage a year later. In the meantime, the awkward plug under the pay phone at the mall will have to do.

Image: Something like this