Plastic Motor Powered by Light

Ok, we know that solar and wind power can be converted to electricity, but research team led by professor Tomiki Ikeda at the Tokyo Institute of Technology has managed to come up with the world’s first plastic motor that uses a different process. It takes a different route compared to solar(electric)-powered motors, as it will convert light straight to mechanical energy courtesy of a belt constructed from a special elastomer that expands or contracts on a molecular level when illuminated, and this change depends on the wavelength of light. Of course, the prototype is still in its infancy so I’m pretty sure further research will yield something useful and practical for society in due time.