[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text bordered=””]Two smart new devices from researchers at Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft Institute for Micromachining and Information Technology (catchy) in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, may soon help us to kiss goodbye to worries of trying to find a power outlet for charging our phones on the move.
The ‘Shock Harvester’ is a small device that you can attach to a shoe is able to generate energy from the impact of the heel on the ground. The ‘Swing Harvester’ meanwhile generates energy from the shoe being swung through the air. They both rely on electromagnetic induction which is one way of generating an electric current from movement.
The main application for this technology is currently expected to be fitness tracking. In other words, these harvesters could power trackers that would live inside the shoe and collect data regarding activity and sporting performance.
In future though, it’s easy to imagine how this technology could be used for other things like charging phones on the go or perhaps heating the shoe? Previously, the shock harvester was actually used for powering an indoor navigation system that would assist firefighters and military personnel. The swing harvester meanwhile was intended for ‘self-lacing’ shoes. The future is here!
Source – DamnGeeky / iopscience[/vc_column_text]
