Capacitor and Inductor finally end up taking off Professor's VR headset just as he was about to start playing video games.
The two appear to want to know more about the Wonder Stone.
Professor
Well, that was quite the ordeal...
Inductor
That's because you started to play video games!
Capacitor
Hey, can the Wonder Stone do anything else besides 3DHaptics?
Professor
Of course. It has all sorts of powers outside of 3DHaptics!Oh, fine. I'll tell you about the other secrets that the stone holds.
RFID, for example.
Capacitor
RFID?
Professor
Simply put, it's a technology that links the stone's data with a smartphone app.
Smartphone and Stone, linking seamlessly!
Professor
The stone contains something known as an RFID tag, which houses a bunch of small semi-conductor chips and antennas.
Capacitor
I love chips!Potato chips, chocolate chips, and...
Inductor
Those are all food!
Professor
Right. Small, thin objects are known as chips.The chips inside RFID tags are less than 1 mm.It's extremely high tech, even if its size is smaller than a grain of rice.
A reader is required in order to load the RFID tag's data, and smartphones can do it as a feature.
You can read the RFID tag data found inside the stone with your smartphone to link the two together.By linking the two together, your smartphone will be able to identify data held by each stone.
Capacitor
What can it do?
Professor
At Expo 2025, you'll be able to see what exhibits you were interested in based on your activity history, just by looking at your smartphone.Your activity history is also a type of data.
It tells you where you stopped, what you were interested in, and what your friends that were close by were interested in.
The activity history sent by the stone is designed in a way that you can view it using an app.
Inductor
So it's like the stone is teaching you about your new self and diversity.
Professor
RFID technology is used in many ways all around us, even outside Expo 2025!
Have you ever used a self checkout machine at the store where it calculates how much an item is just by placing it on the counter?
That is the self checkout machine reading the RFID tag on the item.
Capacitor
Wow!It has a big impact in ways we might not even notice!I guess if you think about it, there are lots of things that require “reading.”
Professor
It may sound simple, but it's a rather complicated technology.It needs to be small but also durable to be useful.
Capacitor
So it might become useful in even more ways if the technology continues to advance!
Professor
That's right!
For example, if you have RFID tags in your car tires, it'll let you know when you need to change tires just by parking it in the parking lot.
Inductor
I see! It reads the tag that contains data about when the tire was bought.
Professor
Setting up an antenna in the parking lot and using it as a reader allows automatic reading without requiring a person to do it.
Letting the reader check for this kind of information allows people to spend their time doing other tasks.This all used to take people time to do!
Capacitor
I bet there are even more ways to use this technology!
Professor
Let's all think of different ways to use it!
Capacitor
Wow, this tiny stone has so much technology packed inside...(*squeeze*)
Stone
............(*Vibrating*)
Capacitor
Whoa, the stone vibrated when I squeezed it!
Inductor
Maybe it really is alive after all...
Professor
Oh ho ho! You've noticed.This is another secret of the stone... the Picoleaf™!
Capacitor
Picoleaf™?
A magical sensor that turns pressure into electricity!
Professor
The Picoleaf™ is a sensor in the form of an extremely thin film.
When you push, bend, or twist...it responds to those stimuli and generates electricity.
This stone also has a Picoleaf™ in it, so when you squeeze it, it generates electricity, vibrating and glowing.
Capacitor
So it turns the force of me grabbing the stone into electricity, and the electricity turns into vibrations and light!
Professor
And it’s only 0.2 mm thick!
Capacitor
I didn't realize there was a sensor in this.
Inductor
But can a really thin sensor actually be useful?
Professor
Of course!
For example, smartphones and tablet PCs use similar sensors.We're able to control the smartphone by touching the screen because there are thin sensors inside that send signals by reacting to your fingers.
Inductor
I never knew!
Now that you mention it, I've always wondered how smartphones were able to respond when touched.
Capacitor
I guess if you think about it that way, it can be useful in lots of different ways.
Professor
In addition, the Picoleaf™ is a cutting-edge sensor that can be used even in combination with water and metals.
Inductor
Sensors used to be limited by where they could be used, but you can use the Picoleaf™ in many different ways.
Professor
That's not all. There's even more to the Picoleaf™.
Capacitor
There's more?!
Plant-based and environmentally friendly electronics
Professor
The Picoleaf™ is made using a plant material known as “polylactic acid.”
Inductor
You can make electronic parts from plants?!
Professor
Yes, technological advances have made it possible!
Professor
Right now, it's just a part of some components.However, there may come an environmentally friendly time in the future where electronics return to the earth and new plants grow from those spots.
Capacitor
Wow!I'm liking this stone more and more!(*Squeeze*)
Stone
(*Vibrating*)
Capacitor
The way it responds to touch makes it seem like a living thing!
(*Squeeze*)
Stone
(*Vibrating*)
Capacitor
(*Squeeze*)
Stone
(*Vibration gets weaker*)
Capacitor
(*Squeeze*)
Stone
(*Vibration gets even weaker*)
Capacitor
Huh?
(*Squeeze*)
Stone
...
Capacitor
Professor, it's not responding.
Inductor
Maybe it got tired of all your squeezing.
Capacitor
No way...
Professor
Hmm, it looks like it ran out of power.Perfect timing. I'll recharge it with the other stones.
Capacitor
Whew, it was just out of power.
Professor
I guess I'll recharge the other stones while I'm at it.
Capacitor
The stone is amazing, but it sounds like a lot of work having to recharge all of them at once.
Professor
Ha ha ha. Actually, it's quite simple.
Next, let me tell you about the secret behind recharging the stone!
To be continued
Summary
“RFID” is a technology that allows readers to load data saved in tags. You can check the data on the stone on an app by linking the stone to your smartphone.
A thin film-like sensor called the “Picoleaf™” can generate electricity by responding to pressure. The Picoleaf™ is an environmentally friendly electronic part made from plants.
