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Qualcomm promoted the energy efficiency of the firms Snapdragon mobile system-on-chip with an amusing advert that featured a variety of insects in a ‘bug circus’ generating power to charge a mobile phone.
A number of creepy crawlies are shown being harvested for their energy generation capability including a praying mantis on a bike and a tarantula on a treadmill. Qualcomm concluded the video by adding that no bugs were harmed in the process, despite having shot a beetle through a burning hoop (presumably this was actually a power loss).
Obviously such a momentous discovery in the field of alternative energy sources would immediately gain the attention of boffins worldwide as the human race struggles to power the ever increasing burden of personal electronics. Wired featured an analysis by Professor Rhett Allain, physics professor of Southeastern Louisiana University.
Prof. Allain focused on the energy generation capability of the treadmill tarantula, something which is sure to be the subject of ongoing research worldwide.
Unfortunately he concludes that it would take just over a million seconds to charge a battery the same size as the one in the new iPhone 4S. That’s 13 days.
"Yes, thirteen days seems like a long time. However, you can at least enjoy the greatest bug show on Earth while you wait," he said.
See the Qualcomm advert below and check Prof. Allain’s calculations for yourself over at Wired.
