Nuclear energy as a microscopic energy source

1999/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Energia

The microscopic use of nuclear energy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison is studied.

MEMS (micro-electromechanical structures) are 60 to 70 microns in diameter (smaller than human hair) and, theoretically, can perform very specific tasks in different areas (medical tools, environmental control, car airbag sensors, etc. ). However, its limit is the lack of availability of an adequate power source of size and weight. They now believe that nuclear power can be adequate for this. The amount that would be needed is very reduced and it is intended to use its natural loss of radioactivity as energy, without any fission or fusion.

Nuclear power is already used in very small quantities in different devices such as photocopiers, smoke detectors, etc.