Solar Surgery

2002/08/19 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Teknologia
• Medikuntza
• Energia berriztagarriak

The newly conceived instrument gathers the rays of the sun and concentrates them 15.000 times. Through a curved plate, the sun's rays are concentrated in the focal point, while the small mirrors in it are intended for fiber optics. Light goes from fiber optic to photovoltaic cells regardless of where they are. Therefore, the sun rays collected in the dishes found on the roof of the hospital reach the operating room.

Since each plate produces 5 watts, a lot of dishes together easily produces the strength needed to illuminate a 60-watt bulb. And it is much cheaper than the laser appliance; a laser unit has a value of 100.000 dollars, while the new solar ray appliance costs only 1.000 dollars.

According to researchers, it is ideal for eliminating tumors. It has already been tested on the chest and liver of chickens, and it seems that hepatic tumors are very good. However, it does not seem very suitable for the Basque Country, since the authors themselves recognize that efficiency decreases considerably if a cloud is placed in front of the sun.

However, the plate can also serve to reduce solar energy. In fact, current photovoltaic cells directly convert solar energy into electricity. Although they are efficient, the semiconductor materials that compose them are very expensive. However, with these dishes you can drive much more energy to a small chip.