Paper array harvests indoor humidity to power a wireless keyboard

Binghamton University researchers demonstrated a paper array that powered a wireless keyboard by harvesting indoor humidity, with help from a capacitor that stores charge and releases it in bursts. The proof of concept, described in Advanced Energy Materials, used 1,596 tiles and delivered 3.5 V at roughly 38% humidity. The tiles draw moisture into their edges and release vapor through their centers. That flow creates an imbalance in hydrogen ions, which graphite electrodes collect as current. A separate 35-tile array ran a humidity sensor for about 15 minutes. The researchers target sensors and wireless modules. The keyboard demonstration supplied no total power figure, and durability remains a condition for practical use.