Atomic batteries closer to being real:

http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13545-nanomaterial-turns-radiation-directly-into-electricity.html?DCMP=ILC-tabViewArt&nsref=dn13545

They convert radiation from a nuclear source directly to electricity!

Beta-decay radiation is already electricity by definition, but the new thing seems to be the higher efficiency of the process for practical use.

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
Beta-decay radiation is already electricity by definition, but the new thing seems to be the higher efficiency of the process for practical use.

There was an earlier version a few years ago where the radiation built up a charge on a capacitor which moved in response to the electric field, it was free floating on one end, like a reed, so it dipped under the electric field and discharged into another cap which built up charges that way, interesting idea, never heard much from it, not very efficient I suppose, this one has the potential to be very efficient and powerful.