The Capacitor Challenge

[PeaceWithTheseEyes]

With green energy and an enlightened attitude, humanity can really live an easy and comfortable life. Courage and intelligence will let us evolve into something greater. You would enjoy the story of WITH THESE EYES.

[K0W0O0N0]

So what is the X price? A lolipop and a hand shake?

Any kind of invention that would fullfill thees specifications would bring a million from patent!

Anyone who would invent that... would give a f.... about the X price....

[arbyt3r]

haaa ha ha ha ha ha haaaaa... ha

[oOoxelAoOo]

The specifications for your challenge are pretty much impossible to satisfy with current technology. Especially in terms of cost and energy density.

The only capacitors that could be used to store large amounts of electricity better than batteries would be superconductive, but it is not yet known if they are possible at "normal" temperatures without complex cooling systems.

The best power source for the future would be personal fuel cells or nuclear batteries.

[kdc43]

@oOoxelAoOo Nuclear batteries? Oh yeah, make it a lot easier for terrorists to make an A-bomb or at least a Dirty Bomb! Ka-Boom!!!

[oOoxelAoOo]

@kdc43 It depends.

[kdc43]

@oOoxelAoOo Depends on what? That the terrorists 'magicaly' disappear?

[neoskipouros]

"even rechargeable batteries have to be replaced from time to time. more than we can handle..."

Sounds like these kids have never heard of that mystical concept RECYCLING.

[kdc43]

@neoskipouros Kids? Some of them are approaching middle age and they act like they never heard of recycling.

[jwil2570]

We need to make something that is biological. For istance, how does the electirc eel produce a charge? Suppose we take the gene that gives the eel its charge, and somehow get bacteria to pic up that trait. Kind've like the human ear growing on the mouses back. I say bacteria because many generation will need to pass for the bacteria to evolve to get it's energy from something we have an abundance of. Like the ones that evolved to use amonia. What say you?

[MikeMayer]

ZOT ZOT ZOT!

[danp5648]

I think they just read and video taped the EEstor patent claims maybe even directly from EEstor patent. Its not creative but I can understand why. Hijacking an idea is done all the time and very easy to do and is far easier then coming up with something new.

[bizso09]

not only that, but they actually got $25.000 for this video

[KanyeWes]

i went to school with these guys and last i heard they are rolling in dough right now. and by rolling in dough, i mean more than 25,000 dollars.

oh, and they're laughing at you right now.

...that was just a "by the way."

[freddi1010]

the x prize

[bereal511]

Good call! :)

[paulbreor]

i think maybe we should look into how well the digestive track can take food and extract such effecient amounts of energy..and the way the human body can live for such a long time on just lipids when in servival mode.

[tjlusco]

A challenge obviously not targeted at engineers, but a Film & TV tutor :P Such a device is every battery company's dream, every oil company's worst nightmare, and a saving grace for automobile manufacturing industry (let alone the environment). Research has been underway for decades and is starting to show results, just google 'supercapacitor' or 'ultracapacitor' for more information. Right now a 30 Farad capacitor IS a reality, and soon that will mean 'an electric car' will become just 'a car'

[bereal511]

Ha ha, seems like there's some contradictory statements going on here. Well, let's just wait and see what happens in the next decade; I would be very happy to be able to drive 100 miles in my car and go up to an electric station, recharge in a minute or two, then drive off for another 100 miles. No hassles, no problems.

[antranig]

" the tech will almost definitely be on the market in a year or two" ...SAYS WHO? Ian Clifford CEO of ZENN stated EESTOR to deliver EESU's to ZENN was imminent for 2008. Didn't happen. Zenn has been waiting over two years for EESTOR to deliver an EESU. No independent 3rd party has verified of an EESU exists outside EESTOR!

[GlennDoty]

It's entirely probable that this challenge might not be fulfilled by anyone within the next decade. True leaps of technology innovation on the order that you are calling for are a result of an innovative "spark", where an idea crystalizes unexpectedly. That "spark" cannot be scheduled.  While technology can be DEVELOPED at a faster pace due to investment and reward... Great leaps of innovation aren't so certain.

We don't have anything like this that works.

I HOPE we will, but if not?

[rapidlorim]

Ambitious. But I can see how it might be doable in 7-10 years.