Nokia patents self-charging battery concept
Piezoelectricity and kinetic energy combine to create a way to charge a phone's battery without going anywhere near the mains.

Nokia has filed a patent for a new battery technology that could lead to the development of self-charging power cells in mobile phones.
The 'Piezoelectric Kinetic Energy Harvester' combines the principles of piezoelectricity and kinetic energy to create a battery that can be charged simply by moving around.
The technology would see the battery able to slide around inside the phone thanks to a pair of frames linked by a piezoelectric crystal. As you move, the energy created from the battery's movement would be captured by the piezoelectric elements, converted to electrical energy, and then passed on to a power controller to be fed into the battery.
According to Nokia, the technology isn't designed to replace the need for conventional charging through the mains, but should make a difference to how often you need to do it. It could also prove particularly useful if your phone goes flat while you're out and about, and you're nowhere near a power socket.
The patent application doesn't reveal how far Nokia has developed the concept, or when indeed, if if it will make its way into consumer devices.
A similar system is already in use in kinetic watches, which capture the energy created by your arm movements and then send it to top up the battery.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
-
Bigger salaries, more burnout: Is the CISO role in crisis?
In-depth CISOs are more stressed than ever before – but why is this and what can be done?
By Kate O'Flaherty Published
-
Cheap cyber crime kits can be bought on the dark web for less than $25
News Research from NordVPN shows phishing kits are now widely available on the dark web and via messaging apps like Telegram, and are often selling for less than $25.
By Emma Woollacott Published
-
Nokia hails success of Europe’s first commercial 5G cloud RAN deployment
News Elise says its 5G cloud network puts it in a strong position during a move towards 6G
By Emma Woollacott Published
-
Kyndryl and Nokia extend partnership to drive data center networking gains
News The companies plan to offer more data center networking options aimed at enterprise customers
By Emma Woollacott Published
-
Dell and Nokia expand strategic partnership to drive network cloud transformation
News The companies will leverage each other’s expertise and distribution to scale telecom networks and private 5G use cases
By Daniel Todd Published
-
Nokia and Google score breakthrough in Android 13 network slicing
News Nokia's solution will allow devices to connect to multiple network slices simultaneously, provided by existing 4G and 5G operators
By Rory Bathgate Published
-
Nokia wins Indosat contract to expand 5G across Indonesia
News The deal will bring next-gen communication technology to customers across a 1.4 million square kilometre area
By Praharsha Anand Published
-
Nokia and Ligado partner on 4G, 5G enterprise private network
News Nokia will leverage Ligado’s Band 24 spectrum to reach the US enterprise market
By Praharsha Anand Published
-
The IT Pro Products of the Year 2021: The year’s best hardware and software
Best Our pick of the best products from the past 12 months
By IT Pro Published
-
Nokia T20 review: A simple, sturdy Android tablet at an SMB-friendly price
Reviews It’s not as luxurious as an iPad, but the T20 makes a fine, functional tablet for business
By Darien Graham-Smith Published