Teen's invention could charge cellphone in 20 seconds

SARATOGA: A California teen’s invention could potentially knock down cellphone-charging time to a superfast 20 seconds.

So far, the energy-storage device has powered only an LED light, but it has the potential to do much more.

The future certainly looks bright for 18-year-old Eesha Khare, who pocketed a $50,000 prize for the Young Scientist award from the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Ariz., for her tiny and possibly revolutionary device.

Khare sees the device as potentially powering car batteries, cellphones or any electronics that could use a rechargeable battery.

“My cellphone always dies,” Khare explained to NBC San Francisco, when asked what inspired her invention.

The supercapacitor, she explains on CBS San Francisco, is “basically an energy source device that can hold a lot of energy in a small amount of volume.”

The Harvard-bound teen has caught the attention of Google, who has approached her about her device.

Regardless of what happens to the supercapacitor, we're sure to hear more from the high school senior—at least according to Khare. “I’m going to be setting the world on fire,” she said.