Using sport shoes to produce electricity is not only a dream but could be a reality if will have enough patience.
The awareness for discovering alternative eco friendly sources of renewable energy is increased in public conscience.
The combination between sport and free energy is an important step in educating people for a healthier way of living under only advantages. A new way to charge up the gadgets by doing power walk is working.
The special futures shoes can now serve to dual purposes, the usual one to protect the feet and generating electric power same time. For each complete step the shoe receive about 10 W of power as heat.
This energy harnessing method was tested by Tom Krupenkin and Ashley Taylor, two young mechanical engineers from the University of Wisconsin. They have designed and developed this energy efficient device which produces around 10 W of electric power per step through a technique called by them “electrowetting”. The mechanism is based on a conductive liquid droplet which is physically deformed by putting it on an electrode and applying it with an electric current.
In his mechanism, Krupenkin reverses the process and produce electric power by using droplets of galinsan-gallium based alloy or mercury and the explanation of it is based on analogy of an electric motor. When you reverse the functioning of an electric motor you will get an electric generator.
The researchers hope to promote their patented product in developing countries where is a dearth of energy but they are convinced that once the sport shoes will be launched they will generate a great response from the public.
We already know that gadgets as laptops or mobile phones require energy between 1-15 W, therefore our gait would be enough to charge up these devices with electric power.
More interesting would be when this harvest electricity will be used to have heated socks…
