For a number of years now Disney have been devoting resources solely with the end aim of pioneering innovative technological development. From creating tactile sensations from thin air with Aireal or the transference of textures through electric currents with Revel, Disney never seem short of fun, outlandish technological innovations. And so clearly understanding the importance of staying ahead of the field, the Disney Researchfacility have channelled their latest research efforts into the creation of Paper Generators.

A small victory for the Research Centre, the Paper Generators enable sounds and simple animations to be played without the assistance of batteries, turning printed books into interactive interfaces. Developed by researchers M. Emre Karagozler, Ivan Poupyrev, Gary F. Fedder and Yuri Suzuki, the team crafted a way to harvest electrical energy from kinetic movement. By simply rubbing Teflon paper against a sheet of silver-coated polyester, sufficient energy is released to power dozens of LED light bulbs, enough to bring a children’s book to life.

In a day and age where our energy consumption continues to swell out of control, it is a relief to see concerted efforts are being made and preventative measures (no matter how small) to address this issue.