The power created from walking creates a bridge from the phone to a cellular network, which dramatically extends battery life. Image courtesy of InSetep NanoPower
Taking the stairs could mean more time between charges for your phone.
Researchers at University of Wisconsin at Madison have developed a shoe insert that uses the impact of your strides to generate electricity for your phone. The prototype “footwear-embedded harvester” consists of two pouches filled with nanoparticle liquid metal called galinstan. It generates electrical current as it is forced through narrow channels, a process the researchers call “reverse electrowetting.” Power is stored in a battery in the arch of the shoe.
Other kinetic energy harvesters use piezoelectrics, which feature crystal sheets that polarize and produce energy through movement. The drawback is the technology generates so little power that an iPhone 4 wouldn’t notice the boost.
The power sneaker features the option to plug a phone into the shoe, but researchers Tom Krupenkin and J. Ashley Taylor sought a less cumbersome approach. They found the biggest draw on your phone’s battery occurs when it’s searching for Wi-Fi or a cell tower signal, so they attached a Wi-Fi transmitter directly to the harvester. The shoe, not the phone, powers the connection to wireless signals. They say that means your battery can last up to 10 times longer.
The device is also able to be directly connected to a phone, which could be useful for soldiers toting night-vision goggles, or marathoners who rely on their iPhone 4’s music for motivation. And with no moving parts, the system requires minimal maintenance, making it a boon for those in areas with little or no electricity.
Krupenkin and Taylor plan to commercialize the technology through their new firm, InStep NanoPower. They’re courting shoe makers to design an incorporated piece of footwear.
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