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Dream PC Description

This idea extends the OpenPC idea at http://www.wepc.com/vote/view /idea/1961/OpenPC.

The notebook will include a solar panel case to use whatever sunlight it can get. The carrying case (backpack, briefcase) will also have solar panels to charge the PC while it's away. A power wire will come from the case to assist in powering the monitor and fans for cooling. This will extend battery life significantly.

The case will also include solar cells to power additional items, namely the display, fans, and hard drive.

An Intel SSD will be used for the hard drive due to its relatively low use of power and fast read and write times (250MBps read, 70MBps write, 8,500 4kB random writes per second).

Thermal Acoustic Piezo Energy Conversion (TAPEC, http://www.sciencedaily.com/r eleases/2007/06/070603225026. htm) will be used to convert waste heat into additional energy. These devices work by using two heat exchangers, one cold the other hot, to convert heat to sound, then the sound waves hit a mechanical power generator to make energy. As little as a 90-degree Fahrenheit temperature difference between hot and cold heat exchangers produced sound. Most computers run at 90deg+. "Student Myra Flitcroft designed a cylinder-shaped heat engine one-third the size of the other devices. It is less than half as wide as a penny, producing a much higher pitch than the other resonators. When heated, the device generated sound at 120 decibels -- the level produced by a siren or a rock concert."

Additionally, these devices will draw heat away from the processor, in effect cooling the device, however a similar device can be created to convert normal outside sound into energy. This could be sound from an office, outside, TV, radio, or even the computer itself. Ideally, it would be continuous sound, however a few capacitors could fix the input power and convert it to nominal power.

Hardware would be up to date, but will not need to be over the top. Software would be open-source to allow custom development for the PC's hardware capabilities. One bit of custom development would be the option to power off individual accessories, like wireless devices, or sound card, or to limit power using advanced ACPI technology. This ACPI technology would allow a person to lower screen brightness, reduce network speed, reduce memory/hd speed, and reduce CPU speed until a threshold is reached when the computer can no longer run well. This may allow the solar panels to keep the battery going indefinitely (while there's light).