Green screens: energy-collecting LCDs coming soon

Your smart phone, iPad, or other LCD device may soon be able to recharge using solar energy. The colorful, high resolution LCDs on smart phones and other devices consume a lot of energy and quickly drain battery life; however, engineers at UCLA are developing one alternative.

The engineers have created photovoltaic polarizers that sit over the top of a phone screen. These polarizers act like mini solar panels that can collect the energy from both the ambient light and the light generated by your phone. While the technology is only in early development phases, it holds promise. Besides reducing consumption of energy from non-sustainable sources, it has the potential to extend the time between (or eliminating altogether) charging your phone.

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