The Power of Footsteps

Doesn't it seem like we're looking for energy everywhere these days? While scientists are still working hard at harvesting power from the sun, wind and waves, they're also turning to unexpected sources such as human locomotion. Two MIT architecture students recently unveiled what they're calling the "Crowd Farm," a setup that would derive energy from pounding feet in crowded subway stations or rock concerts.

In each case, there would be a sub-flooring system consisting of independent blocks. When people walk across this surface, the forces they impart will cause the blocks to slip slightly, and a dynamo would convert the energy in those movements into electric current.

To prove the idea would work, the students built a stool that's connected to a series of four LEDs. When someone sits on the stool, the action transfers energy to the LEDs, which light up. The students say that moving from this proof-of-concept device to a large-scale Crowd Farm would be expensive, but it certainly sounds fun. One possibility: Concert-goers could boost the volume at a show. The setup would capture the energy of their pounding feet and transfer it to the speaker system, cranking up the sound.—Gregory Mone

Comments

[Dr.S.S.Verma]

Scientists always ponder on possibilities and engineers try to materialise them for the use of mankind. At present energy and environment are the hot topics and scientists are looking all around to harness all types of energy in order to reduce the dependence on polluting conventional sources of energy.

Proposal for the utilisation of waste energy of foot power with human locomotion is very much relevant and important for highly populated countries like India and China where the roads, railway stations, bus stands, temples,etc. are all over crowded and millions of people move around the clock. This whole human/bio energy being wasted if can be made possible for utilization it will be great invention and crowd energy farms will be very useful energy sources in crowded countries.

Let us hope that this invention will reach to the market or to the utilization level and will not fade with time like it happen with many other laboratory inventions.

[caseyjr1231]

interesting. i conceived a notion similar to this awhile ago. we are a world in motion and what better way to replenish the grid than use what we already have available? my particular thought was to line the nations highways with wire embedded in the concrete and require tire makers to embed magnetic material in the tires rubber essentially turning every motor vehicle on that stretch of road a moving generator. so many questions so few answers. we obviously dont mind paying for cable tv to wire the nation, what could cost versus value be for something like this?

[Nurul Nadia]

This invention is not practically effective.I don't thing that footsteps can produce so much energy.Larger space is needed to built the flooring system so there will be more footsteps to generate more energy.Futhermore,the building cost and cost for maintainance will be high.It doesn't worth for the money spent since the energy produced is not as much as energy produced from nuclear reaction or burning of fossil fuels.

[i wish not to be named :D]

I think that if you put the system in the correct place, enough energy will be produced, and maybe will result in a surplus of energy.Overcrowded streets maybe, or even a mall would be a good place to put this new technology.