physics

Photovoltaic keyboard

Photovoltaic keyboard is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Photovoltaic keyboard rather than just read about it. In short: A photovoltaic keyboard, or solar keyboard, is a wireless computer keyboard that charges its batteries from a light source such as the sun or interior lighting, addressing a major drawback of wireless computer peripherals that otherwise require regular replacement of discharged batteries. One such device is the Logitech K750, which was announced by the company in 2010.

Key takeaways

Photovoltaic keyboard belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Photovoltaic keyboard to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Photovoltaic keyboard from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A photovoltaic keyboard, or solar keyboard, is a wireless computer keyboard that charges its batteries from a light source such as the sun or interior lighting, addressing a major drawback of wireless computer peripherals that otherwise require regular replacement of discharged batteries. One such device is the Logitech K750, which was announced by the company in 2010. In 2018 Microsoft filed a patent describing how solar panels could be used to extend battery life for Microsoft's Surface Pro.

Logitech K750 The Logitech K750 has a set of photovoltaic cells on the top edge, charges from any light source including sunlight and under a standard bulb, can work up to three months in total darkness, and includes software to display battery charging status. It is a full-sized keyboard, including the usual movement keys and NumPad section on the right side, with low-profile keys much like a laptop. There are two models, compatible with Windows or Macintosh operating systems. Even though the keyboard is not officially supported in Linux, a third-party application named Solaar provides functionality akin to the original Logitech software, such as battery and connection status indications, and allows device pairing/unpairing.

Logitech K760 Another Logitech keyboard, the K760, is also PV powered. It is smaller than the Logitech K750 and communicates with the computer via Bluetooth. It was positively reviewed by David Carnoy of CNET, who praised its sleek, stylish design, and its ability to be seamlessly integrated with Apple products. Although he found it slightly bulky to carry around and criticized the lack of carrying case provided by Logitech, he concluded that in the long run, it would save a user money, and was a better deal than Apple's Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard.

References

External links

Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Photovoltaic keyboard

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Photovoltaic keyboard claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Photovoltaic keyboard before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Photovoltaic keyboard ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Photovoltaic keyboard

In research: Photovoltaic keyboard appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Photovoltaic keyboard in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Photovoltaic keyboard is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Applications of photovoltaics, Computer keyboards, Renewable energy stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Photovoltaic keyboard outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Photovoltaic keyboard in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Photovoltaic keyboard means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Photovoltaic keyboard out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Photovoltaic keyboard in simple terms?

Why does Photovoltaic keyboard matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Photovoltaic keyboard?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Photovoltaic keyboard.