GE's New Tech Could Revolutionize Apple's MacBook Air

General Electric

has developed an ultra-thin replacement for a key component that could one day allow Apple

and other manufacturers to design thinner laptops.

Instead of employing noisy fans that take up an excessive amount of space, General Electric has developed a dual-piezoelectric cooling jet (DCJ for short) that "behaves as a micro-fluidic bellows that provide high-velocity jets of air to cool electronic components." The unit, which is "virtually inaudible to the ear," is about the size of a credit card. "DCJ was developed as an innovative way to dramatically reduce the amount of pressure losses and loading characteristics in aircraft engines and power generation in gas and wind turbines," Peter de Bock, lead Electronics Cooling Researcher at GE Global Research, said in a

. "Over the past 18 months we have addressed many challenges adapting this technology in areas of acoustics, vibration, and power consumption such that the DCJ can now be considered as an optimal cooling solution for ultra-thin consumer electronics products." To demonstrate the potential of the technology, General Electric purchased an Intel

Ultrabook and

with the DCJ. With the fan removed, General Electric engineers were left with extra space. This could be used to store additional components or to reduce the overall size of the computer. The DCJ technology is not exclusive to notebooks. It could be applied to tablets as well, which are designed to be as thin as possible. If General Electric is able to reduce the size of the DCJ, it could one day be used in smartphones and other pocket-sized devices. General Electric shares have currently declined by less than one percent. The company rose more than five percent over the last 30 days and is up more than 18 percent year-to-date.