A design study to harvest electrical energy from walking and running motions
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis studies two different methods ofharvesting electrical energy from everyday activities such as
walking and running. It is a design study that aims to create a
device which can be attached or incorporated into a shoe, ideally a
military boot, so that soldiers can charge back-up batteries for
their devices while out in the field. The goal was to create a
device that could achieve a peak energy harvesting power output on
the order of 0.1 Watts. The original concept for the device
involved the use of macro piezoelectric fiber harvesters which
harness strain energy from the sole of the shoe as it naturally
bends and flexes throughout daily activity. Strain testing
indicated the the maximum peak power output that could be expected
from these actuators was on the order of 10- 4W to 10- 3 W, and
testing of the harvesters themselves yielded peak power values on
the order of 10 7W to 10-6W. These low power values turned the
design study away from the use of piezoelectrics and a design
incorporating a miniature air turbine coupled with an
electromagnetic generator was introduced. Initial testing on this
proof of concept device yielded peak power values on the order of
10- 4W to 10- 3W with much room for improvement. It was concluded
that this sort of device would be more effective for harvesting
energy from the shoes, and future iterations of the initial
prototype were proposed.
Author: Kelsey Seto
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2173187916