Energy sources such as wind power and hydropower have been successively used to generate electricity. Nowadays, human footsteps are expected to become the latest pollution-free energy source. British engineers have recently designed an underground power generator which can use foot traffic to generate electricity. This invention will soon be applied in major supermarkets and subway stations.
Footstep Power Generation
This new footstep power generation technology can utilize the pressure of footsteps on the floor to promote the flow of liquid underneath, thus driving mini-turbines to rotate and generate electricity which is then stored in batteries.
Researchers have already tested this technology at Victoria Station in central London. The results confirmed that a passenger flow of 34,000 people per hour could provide enough electricity for 6,500 light bulbs.
Devices utilizing footstep power generation will first be applied to the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, UK. The Spinnaker Tower is a 170-meter observation tower, and mini-generators using footstep power generation will be installed under each step of the staircase for visitors to use.
"Not only will we use the footsteps of the crowd, but we will also use all the slight vibrations throughout the entire Spinnaker Tower to generate electricity," David Webb, who is negotiating installation with subway stations and malls, was quoted by the British Sunday Times on the 8th, "All buildings vibrate slightly. Of course, it would be even better if there were vibrations like those from a TV antenna."