Calculator solar panels?

[BeerBelly]

Looking over the power requirements of some micro-controllers has me wondering.
Has anyone made a uC project using the feeble output from one of those little calculator solar panels?

 

[picbits]

Feasible but not practical (generally).

You'd use one to charge up a supercap or battery and have the uC in sleep mode most of the time waking up for the odd burst of activity. The output of the calculator solar cells is very small - probably better to use one from a garden solar light or similar.

 

[misterT]

Dave Jones has couple of video-blogs about that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdcLvrDdGTA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VvEO_m3Owk

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You might also bear in mind that many supposed 'solar' calculators actually ran off a tiny battery, and the solar panel was just a dummy.

 

[misterT]

You might also bear in mind that many supposed 'solar' calculators actually ran off a tiny battery, and the solar panel was just a dummy.

Haha, yes. Printed on glossy paper.