Comment Re:The big question... (Score 1) 309
Forms of energy. With your self-winding watches, mechanical energy (I know the name, but like I can spell it...) is being generated, then stored as mechanical energy. These heat-watches are changing radiant energy into electrical energy. Considering there's generally a larger-than-desired energy loss with each state change, going from electrical to mechanical (and adding all the mechanical bits to support mechanical energy to the system) then back to electrical is inefficient, and horribly expensive.
On a semi-related note, I've recently wondered if they've thought to add springs to cars. I've heard of energy collectors that will take the heat generated by your brakes and convert it back to electrical energy when you stop an electric car. But, for the same reasons listed above, you'd be better off adding to the drive-line some place the hardware to use your momentum to wind a spring. As the spring tightened you'd slow/stop, then when you wanted to move again, you've already got a store of mechanical energy considerably closer to the tires than an electrical battery in the trunk.
On a semi-related note, I've recently wondered if they've thought to add springs to cars. I've heard of energy collectors that will take the heat generated by your brakes and convert it back to electrical energy when you stop an electric car. But, for the same reasons listed above, you'd be better off adding to the drive-line some place the hardware to use your momentum to wind a spring. As the spring tightened you'd slow/stop, then when you wanted to move again, you've already got a store of mechanical energy considerably closer to the tires than an electrical battery in the trunk.
