A group of engineers spanning multiple universities think they may have found a way to charge small personal electronics with the power of vibrations. These vibrations could be the vibrations from a car ride or even bouncing your leg while the device is in your pocket. Ever been on a long road trip and forget your car charger? Me too. This sort of renewable energy could be life saver.

The nanogenerator would use a sponge-like material to harvest the vibrations. Finding a way to make the material as soft as possible is the key to making it ultra sensitive to even the smallest vibrations. As the technology advances this could mean your cellphone could become a completely self charging device.

Nothing makes our nerdy hearts happier than reading about advances towards innovative ways to capture clean, renewable sources of energy. Tune in every Saturday for fascinating science blogs related to energy and efficiency.

Read more about the science behind the vibrations nanogenerator on Science Daily.