NASA Uses Vomit Comet To Help Grow Nanowires In Microgravity

All around the world there are researchers and scientist that are studying ways to harness natural motion to produce electricity for electronic devices and gadgets. The idea is that if you can create clothes that can take the motion of the person wearing them and use that motion to generate power for gadgets we can extend the run time of things like phones and more.

NASA likes the idea of harnessing motion to create power and is investigating the tech for use in spacesuits that could use the motion of the astronaut to help power the various suit systems. NASA has is studying the growth of zinc-oxide nanowires in microgravity. The study is being conducted inside a modified jet the that takes the passengers through a series of parabolic arcs that create microgravity inside the aircraft.

NASA researchers Olivia Lenz, Hannah Clevenson, and Tanya Miracle have found that microgravity alters the shape and length of the nanowires and allows them to produce better nanowires for use in spacesuits for generating power. This technology also has military applications for allowing soldiers to generate power for electronic gear in the field simply by walking.

[via Ecouterre]