West Maui is known across the globe for not only being one of the most beautiful places on Earth, but also as a hotbed of technology and innovation. Now, thanks to a breakthrough made by a Lahaina teen, it may become the birthplace of an energy revolution. 13-year-old Rachel Driscol has created a device that can transform ambient sounds such as waves and frog mating calls into a viable source of energy. Experts say the teen’s breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the energy industry.
The quest to convert sound energy into electricity is not new. Scientists, especially those in large metropolitan areas, have long sought a way to convert the din of the city into electricity. The problem is that up until now the capturable energy produced by noises is very limited. Through the use of piezoelectric technology and specialized transducers, researchers have been able to harness the vibrations from footsteps in high traffic areas, such as malls and sports arenas, to recharge phones in special charging stations. However, efficiency hurdles have made harvesting energy from anything but extremely loud and sustained noises impractical. Driscol’s says her new device clears that hurdle.
According to Rachel the problem wasn’t just one of efficiency, it was being able to use the “right” kind of noise. “There is definitely energy contained in sound waves, but the density of the energy is very low, and nobody had figured out a way to capture it all or target specific oscillations, so I decided to try and solve the problem. I tried a few different noises and found the sound of waves crashing worked well, but I was blown away when I started experimenting with coqui frog calls. They were perfect! With my design and a few of them in a terrarium you could make a sort of frog battery strong enough to power a house, assuming you could stand the noise.”
While the invasive frogs hold a special place in the hearts of people in their native Puerto Rico, they are considered a nuisance at best on the islands. The frogs consume vast amounts of beneficial insects without any natural predators, upsetting natural ecosystems and threatening crop production. Despite the frog’s ecological impact, it is the mating calls that most people have a problem with. Male coquis produce one of the loudest noises in the animal kingdom, with calls that can hit 90 decibels; roughly as loud as a gas powered lawn mower.
“It’s not just how loud they are, it’s the wave pattern of that call. It’s like it was made for converting into electricity,” says Rachel. “With a little transducer work, and some targeted filtering, I had a working model in a couple of days. I hope one day whole neighborhoods can be powered by the sounds of nature, even the really loud, annoying ones.”
While Driscol’s device is still in the prototype phase, experts say it could be a game changer in the green energy industry. Brian Leets of Pacific Investment Advisers says the teen’s breakthrough has almost limitless potential. “We’re talking about technology that could disrupt the whole industry. If she can show a scaled-up version works just as well as the prototype, she’ll be the head of a spear of a near-free energy revolution. Things are about to change in a big way at the Driscol house.”
According to Rachel’s father Leets’ predictions are spot on. John Driscol says he’s had to turn off his phone to deal with the number of calls from the press and businesses interested in buying his daughter’s technology.
“To be honest it’s been a real hassle for me. I’m the kind of person who really enjoys the peace and quiet someone who doesn’t have a daughter acting as an industry disrupter can expect. Don’t get me wrong, Rachel’s little noise capturing thingy works great. In fact it’s a little too good. Anyone that knows me, knows how much I enjoy spending my afternoons on the beach counting waves as they roll in. I usually listen to music while I count. In the past, I knew it was time to go get the kids from school when my phone died, but now the waves keep the dang thing charged all the time. That forces me to constantly turn my phone over, unlock it, and check the time. No matter how hard I tried to completely relax, I had the nagging question about the time running ragged through the hallways of my mind. It was too much, and I had to start leaving it behind.
I will say it gets high marks for home use though. I’m a big fan of crushed ice drinks when forced to stay in, and this thing has really changed how I enjoy my daiquiris.
Having too many electrical appliances is a problem most people have, and the Driscol house is no different. Using the blender means struggling with the cord, and figuring out what thing to unplug. This can be a huge hassle to say the least. Battery powered blenders are only good for a few dozen drinks, which makes them impractical for my intake needs. Now, all I have to do is yell in the blender’s direction for 5-10 minutes and it’s charged for the day. Between all the calls and me yelling at the blender, it’s not the quietest house in the neighborhood, but I bet it’s the most energy efficient one.”
