Will this allow for bicycle generators that do not take a ton of cycling to light an old fashioned lightbuld. Actually can it be reveresed for more efficient electrical engines???

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

No and no. Electrical generators/motors are already nearly perfect. The difference here it that these ones are really tiny. Oh, and it says nothing about if they can build them any way except manually one at a time.

[–] Powderhorn@beehaw.org 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You have to admit, making them self-replicating would be pretty cool ... for a time.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Yeah, self-replicating machines could be cool. Not necessarily dangerous, too, depending on exactly how robust and good at using a variety of materials they are. If we just make a slightly different version of delicate seafloor bacteria that's not very scary.

That being said, you could 3D print most of a normal electric motor. I'd have to actually read the research to know how this triboelectric design compares.