# Batteryless Cellphones University of Washington Researchers Developed a Battery-Free Cellphone By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2017-07-11 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/battery-free-cellphone References: [washington.edu](http://www.washington.edu/news/2017/07/05/first-battery-free-cell-phone-makes-calls-by-harvesting-ambient-power/) Researchers from the [University of Washington](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crab-shell-batteries) have successfully developed a battery-free cellphone that has the potential to solve many issues with chargers, cords and dying smartphones that plague consumers of today. As the phone has no battery, it gets the energy it needs to send and receive calls from [ambient radio signals or light](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lenovo-800-selfcharging-bluetooth-keyboard). The phone itself is constructed from off-the-shelf components and a printed circuit board and boasts basic phone functions. The team even demonstrated that the device has the ability to make and receive calls with Skype, as well as place callers on hold. Just as devices like temperature sensors and accelerometers make the most of ambient power sources, the battery-free cellphone imagines the potential use of alternative energy for one the most-used devices by consumers of today. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.7/10 - Popularity: 25% | Activity: 77% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Battery-free Electronics:** The trend of battery-free electronics presents disruptive innovation opportunities for industries to develop sustainable, energy-efficient devices. - **Ambient Power Sources:** The trend of utilizing ambient power sources offers disruptive innovation opportunities for industries to create self-sustaining devices that reduce reliance on traditional batteries. - **Alternative Energy Technology:** The trend of alternative energy technology opens up disruptive innovation opportunities for industries to create innovative and eco-friendly solutions for powering electronic devices. ### Who This Affects Most - **Consumer Electronics:** The consumer electronics industry can explore disruptive innovation by incorporating battery-free technology into smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices. - **Energy Harvesting:** The energy harvesting industry can capitalize on the trend of ambient power sources by developing efficient energy harvesting solutions that can power a wide range of electronic devices. - **Renewable Energy:** The renewable energy industry can leverage the trend of alternative energy technology to create advanced systems that can generate clean and sustainable energy for electronic devices. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Radio Wave-Powered Remotes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/samsung-eco-remote.md) - [Glowing Power-Free Lamp Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nisshoku.md) - [Posh Power-Free Smartphone Speakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amplifying-speaker.md) - [Future-Facing Charging Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wireless-charger-concepts.md) - [Rapid Phone Charging Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swapperys-external-smartphone-battery.md) - [Fan-Designed Glowing Smartphones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/phone-2a-plus-community-edition.md) - [Paper-Based Energy Storage](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paper-battery.md) - [Ambient Light-Powered Keyboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lenovo-800-selfcharging-bluetooth-keyboard.md) - [Wireless Smartphone Flashlight Cards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lumicard.md)