Australian group developing kinetic energy cell

This sounds a little like one of those urban legends about a perpetual motion machine, but it's apparently serious: The Centre for Energy and Greenhouse Technologies in Australia is investing in the development of a kinetic energy cell, which can convert energy from any kind of movement into storable power for batteries. A prototype unit is apparently the size of a 9-volt battery. Kinetic energy has been successfully used for consumer electronics products, such as the Freeplay radio pictured to the right, and to charge the batteries in hybrid cars. However, a portable, efficient unit that can harvest energy reliably and passively has remained an elusive goal.