Power from Darkness, Quantum Entanglement and listing yourself on a Stock Exchange

June 18

The great weakness of solar power is the need to have direct sunlight. This week we will look at a new power generator that takes advantage of the shadows to generate power. We also look at Quantum Entanglement and how it might be used to transmit data in the future. Finally we look at an AI that can identify light from different sources efficiently, an Australian EV charging station and we consider IPOing ourselves on a Human Stock Exchange.

Generating Power from Darkness

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed a new device that exploits the contrast between bright and shaded spots in order to create a current than can power small electronics. The team calls it a “Shadow-effect energy generator”.

Swee Ching Tan and his team created the device by placing a super thin coating of gold on silicon. Light shining on the silicon energizes it electrons. The excited electrons jump from the silicon to the gold layer. If part of the device is in shadow the voltage of the illuminated area increases relative to the dark area. The electrons will then flow from high voltage to low voltage. By sending this flow through an external circuit a current is generated that can power a gadget.

The devices can also serve as sensors. When a remote controlled car is driven past the device, thus casting a shadow, enough energy to light up a small LED is created. The greater the contrast between light and dark the more energy is generated.

The ultimate goal is to develop solar arrays that can produce energy in shadowy spots between buildings or potentially indoors.

Sending Information via Quantum Entanglement

Firstly what is Quantum Entanglement? Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance”. He was completely baffled by it. Fortunately science has advanced significantly and we can now describe Quantum Entanglement. We still don’t know what it is or how it works, but we can describe it. When reading this just keep in mind that quantum physics is weird. Please suspend disbelief for a few moments.

Lets start with a simple photon of light. Before we measure the photon it is in a superposition spinning in all directions at once. It is possible to split that photon into two photons by shining the photon though the correct medium. Now we have two photons in superposition. Every photon has a spin value that represents the angular momentum of that photon of light, don’t get too bogged down with this concept, just remember that spin values can be calculated. If the original photon had a spin value of zero then after the photon is split into two, each new photon will spin in opposite directions to maintain the original spin value of zero. I hope you are still following because the spooky action at a distance is coming next.

The two photons are now separated. If we change the spin direction of one photon the other will immediately reverse even though the photons are some distance apart. The paradox is that this change happens instantaneously. Somehow the two photons are linked and affect each other despite being apart. In 2017 scientists were able to entangle two photons 1200 kilometers apart. One on earth and the other on a satellite. Remember that nothing can move faster than the speed of light but the change in spin direction was instantaneous. We don’t know how or why these two photons remained connected despite the distance between them, however we can now accurately describe what happens.

So what? Well, recently researchers at the Technical University of Denmark have successfully transferred information between two microchips by using quantum entanglement. The researchers split a photon and sent the split parts in different directions to two microchips. They then changed the spin direction of one photon of light in one microchip. This instantaneously changed the spin direction of the other photon in the second microchip. They did not transmit any information between the microchips.

You may remember that computers operate via a massive series of on and off switches, i.e. the billions of transistors in the silicon chips at the heart of every computer. Each switch is either on or off at any one time. This represents the 1’s and 0’s of binary code where 1 = on and 0 = off. Binary code is the most basic building block of computer language. Spin direction can be used in a similar way to build a computer language.

By entangling the photons in the separate microchips, the researchers were able to transmit messages that are impossible to intercept. There is nothing to intercept. Imagine a future where online banking is completely secure as your device is entangled with the bank’s systems. No information is transmitted however your balance is instantaneously updated when you buy that coffee. You are however, still left with the age old problem of what to do when your bank balance is zero. Some problems may never be solved.

Have you ever wanted to list yourself on a Stock Exchange?

HumanIPO allows you to list your time on their exchange and for others to buy and sell. Firstly you need to apply to be listed. The HumanIPO team will vet you and confirm your credentials. They don’t say it, but you will have to be interesting to be listed. They will need to think that people will want to buy some of your time.

A maximum of 500 hours can be sold at one time. Most listings are for smaller numbers of hours. Once the hours to be listed are sold to the initial investors (just like a traditional IPO) the shares are then traded on an exchange. For example, Mike Merrill, the first person to be publicly traded, listed 52 hours of his time at the California minimum wage rate of US$13 per hour. The latest trade for an hour of his time was at US$88.50. A nice return for those who bought in at the IPO.

If you buy an hour of Mike’s time and want to redeem that hour, you contact the exchange and a mutually convenient time is arranged. That hour is taken out of the trading pool. BTW, Mike is currently unemployed so arranging a time should not be a problem.

So why buy someone’s time? Tristan Pollock, a Venture Capitalist at 500 Startups, time is being traded for US$179.00 per hour. You may like to get some in person advice on your startup for an hour or two. You know exactly what it will cost you. No introductions, no pleading for a meeting, no rejections. Tristan only has 10 hours currently listed so be quick.

How much is your time worth? List yourself and let the market tell you.

Identifying light sources using AI

The identification of the source of light is very important in the development of LiDAR and other remote sensing applications particularly for self driving vehicles. Traditionally the identification of the source of light, e.g. sunlight, laser or fluorescence has required millions of measurements.

Researchers from Louisiana State University have trained an artificial neuron with the statistical fluctuations that characterize various types of light. This allowed the neuron to identify the underlying features associated with various types of light. A single neuron was able to reduce the number of measurements from millions to less than 100. Thus allowing light identification much more quickly and cheaply.

This breakthrough will also allow the development of a new family of smart LiDAR systems with the capability to identify intercepted or modified information reflected from a remote object. LiDAR uses a reflected laser light to determine distance. The ability to discriminate between environmental light and reflected light used by the LiDAR will improve accuracy, particularly in low light conditions.

Electric Vehicle Charging

We have previously mentioned a number of companies that are developing innovative charging solutions for Electric Vehicles. JetCharge, an Australian company working in this space has just completed their Series A Capital raise ($4.5m) to help them continue with the development of their range of innovative solutions for Domestic, Commercial, Public and Government installations.

Systems can be installed anywhere there is a connection to the power grid. Their paymate solution for public spaces allows for variable pricing at different times of the day and at different locations along with payment via credit card. There will no longer be a need to go to a purpose built service station to refuel as these recharging stations become common in car parks, office buildings, apartment buildings and the home.

JetCharge also has a full list of the 30 electric vehicles currently available in Australia.

Paying it Forward

If you have a start-up or know of a start-up that has a product ready for market please let me know. I would be happy to have a look and feature the startup in this newsletter. Also if any startups need introductions please get in touch and I will help where I can.

If you have any questions or comments please email me via my website craigcarlyon.com or comment below. 

I would also appreciate it if you could forward this newsletter to anyone that you think might be interested.