How Does A Solar Keyboard Work?

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Have you ever wondered how much technology has advanced? Who would have thought that we would get to see a keyboard that works on the power generated from the sun wirelessly? I don’t think anybody did. Also, if you think about it, it’s convenient too.

Nowadays, IT companies are thinking of making a shift by inculcating the use of solar keyboards as they don’t cause a burden on your finances. If you want to buy a keyboard, you might want to start considering a solar keyboard.

Solar keyboards are the instruments of the future which is why I am here to educate you about how the latest technology has made it possible to use a keyboard that uses the sun’s energy to power up. Let us read on further in this article to see all this is about.

What is a solar keyboard?

Wireless solar keyboards are the most popular these days for their ease of usage and environment-friendly ways. A wireless keyboard, a photovoltaic keyboard, or a solar keyboard is another name for this tool. 

Photovoltaic keyboards are those peripherals that use sunlight as a source of light to charge the batteries. It also challenges the basic wired keyboards in their inability to have rechargeable batteries instead of changing batteries frequently.

What was the first keyboard that was photovoltaic?

The first-ever keyboard that ran on the use of sunlight was Logitech K750 in the year 2010. In 2018, Microsoft obtained a patent for explaining how battery life can be extended using solar panels for the Surface Pro. There haven’t been any others made that were as successful as this yet.

If you want to see how the K750 works on the usage of solar panels, you can watch it here.

How does a solar keyboard work?

A solar keyboard works by utilizing photovoltaic cells to convert light energy into electrical energy, which is then used to power the keyboard.

The photovoltaic cells are usually placed on the top surface of the keyboard and are made of a semiconductor material such as silicon.

When light falls on these cells, the electrons in the semiconductor material get excited and start flowing, creating a current.

This current is then stored in a rechargeable battery or capacitor, which powers the keyboard even when there is no light available.

The keyboard may also have a power-saving mode, where it automatically switches off when not in use, further increasing the battery life.

How long do solar keyboards last?

Usually, solar-powered keyboards have to be charged once to work for a long time, and some keyboards even have an on/off switch that helps save that energy whenever the keyboard isn’t in use. 

Therefore, you can charge the battery, and it lasts up to three months for some keyboard brands they also have an on/off button that does not let the energy go to waste when it is not being used.

Read more about solar keyboard lifetime from here.

Solar keyboards are such a great deal when it comes to their usage and even mobility. Since it is the era of AI, these photovoltaic keyboards will be the savior and addition to this era. Let us further read about how solar-powered keyboards are beneficial for us.

How is solar keyboard more beneficial than others?

  • Manual keyboards or the keyboards that run by using electricity have a big problem: it uses electricity. 
  • Even though you might think these must use such a small unit of electricity, it is massive if you multiply it to the number of keyboards used today. Therefore, the electricity usage is huge. Solar keyboards greatly reduce that as they don’t need electricity to run.
  • It is easy to use and easier to connect to. Since it is usually wireless, you are restricted to sitting in one place. Rather, you have the freedom to move anywhere or take this keyboard with you to any place you’d like. 
  • In addition to being wireless, there is no hassle of using batteries and charging them.
  • The keyboard uses solar panels to power through the sunlight or any other light like an electric lamp.
  • The solar keyboards are designed so that they don’t take much space than a regular keyboard. However, key placement remains the same as manual ones.
  • The solar keyboards are sustainable as a source of energy and help reduce the pollution that the batteries would have caused. 
  • Using sunlight as a energy source is free of cost and easy to use.

Which is the best solar keyboard in the market?

As far as solar keyboards are concerned, Logitech is the first and foremost company that has made K750 that is designed compactly. The solar panels are placed so that they can fully charge the battery once and then you can use it easily up to three months.

There is another keyboard, Logitech K760, that is also PV powered, and it even uses Bluetooth to connect itself to the computer. It is smaller in size and is highly useful.

There haven’t been many options for now, but these are the best ones in the market.

What is the environmental impact of solar keyboards?

If you think about it, the importance of a solar keyboard compared to a manual keyboard is huge. Manual keyboards use electricity as a power source which is such an expensive energy source in terms of money and the environment.

Not just that, manual keyboards use a battery that needs to be charged, and if these batteries are not disposed of correctly or recycled, it can harm the atmosphere. It can cause pollution and can add to the causes that are present already.

On the other hand, Solar keyboards are environmentally friendly as they use sunlight as a source of energy, which is also free of cost. They are easy to use and can be used anywhere. They don’t even use batteries, and therefore, their usage could be reduced, which will lead to a better environment.

FAQs

Q1. What peripheral of computer can work on solar energy?

Along with solar keyboards, there is a solar mouse, laptop, etc. However, the keyboard is the most popular one.

Q2. How long can you use the solar keyboards?

You can use it for at least three months after charging it to its full potential.

Q3. Doesn’t the energy waste away if the keyboard is not used for a long time?

No, these wireless keyboards have an on/off switch that conserves energy and can be used any time. It only discharges along with its use.

Q4. Does a solar keyboard even function?

Yes, they are photovoltaic, and therefore it uses sun or any other interior lighting to charge the batteries.

The Bottom Line

If you think about it, this can be the best solution there is. Solar keyboards are the best thing that can happen for the future of AI. The solar-powered keyboards possess all kinds of features that you would see in a wireless keyboard in addition to its main charm point, i.e., solar panel chips. 

You can think about buying this for yourself because it has a lot of benefits and is also cost-friendly. Not just that, it is environmentally friendly, and you are adding to that point. Therefore we can conclude that solar-powered keyboards can be bought for your use.

However, if you still have any doubts write to us.

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