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footstep power generator

makanaka

Oct 13, 2015
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hie guys,

im a final year student and hoping to augment the current power generated in my country by venturing into an alternative source for power by converting human locomotion into usable power. i need help to decide on the type of sensor to best fit my functionality and a corresponding amplifier circuit to allow the output current to charge a 9-12V battery. please help
 

davenn

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Sep 5, 2009
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i need help to decide on the type of sensor to best fit my functionality and a corresponding amplifier circuit to allow the output current to charge a 9-12V battery. please help

Hi there
welcome to EP :)

Any amplifier will require an external power source and that fact alone will negate what you are trying to achieve


cheers
Dave
 

Harald Kapp

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Dave's completely right. It's been done before in another way. Look here.
Or look up "energy harvesting" using your favorite search engine. Your "amplifier" would be a step-up or boost DC/DC converter in this case.
 

Alec_t

Jul 7, 2015
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There's also the small problem of energy conservation. The energy you (inefficiently) put into charging the battery has to come from the food you eat. So any saving on your electricity bill will be more than offset by an increase in your food bill ;).
 

Martaine2005

May 12, 2015
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There's also the small problem of energy conservation. The energy you (inefficiently) put into charging the battery has to come from the food you eat. So any saving on your electricity bill will be more than offset by an increase in your food bill ;).
Except if you are 'Mo Farah', who is advertised as British.........He is Somalian.....NOT BRITISH....
OR ENGLISH....Damn
 

dorke

Jun 20, 2015
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What jumps to mind is a piezo in the boots...
 

hevans1944

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Jun 21, 2012
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A bicycle is probably the most efficient human locomotive device, especially recumbent designs. However, as @Alec_t noted, human-generated electricity is not very efficient or effective. Try hooking up an automobile alternator to a stationary bicycle and see how difficult it is to light a 100 watt light bulb. Even an athlete in excellent condition cannot maintain a power output of 100 watts for more than a few minutes. Add a battery to store the energy generated by periodic pedaling and the efficiency goes even further down. A better alternative would be a solar power supply, or perhaps a windmill for small-scale power production.
 

dorke

Jun 20, 2015
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Oh well,
I guess Zimbabwe has some more serious problems than electricity...
Human generators is not the way to go,
unless it is for a school project or "fun".

Seriously,
Water,Sun or Wind :clean and plenty energy to harvest.:cool:
 

wingnut

Aug 9, 2012
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A bicycle is probably the most efficient human locomotive device, especially recumbent designs. However, as @Alec_t noted, human-generated electricity is not very efficient or effective. Try hooking up an automobile alternator to a stationary bicycle and see how difficult it is to light a 100 watt light bulb. Even an athlete in excellent condition cannot maintain a power output of 100 watts for more than a few minutes. Add a battery to store the energy generated by periodic pedaling and the efficiency goes even further down. A better alternative would be a solar power supply, or perhaps a windmill for small-scale power production.
I have precisely the exercise bicycle, alternator, battery system you described and it is hard to maintain 100 W as you said. Sounds like you speak from experience :)

I agree that solar is far, far better. You will not generate human power cheaper than solar. I have solar power too. If you can get away without batteries, then it is very cheap.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed is king. So in Zim every little bit of electricity would be MUCH better than nothing.
Don't they have merry-go-rounds which generate electricity and pump water, where the kids playing on them generates power? I have seen this human power (in dockies on Africa), and they seem to work. There are also wind-up radio's and torches.
 

makanaka

Oct 13, 2015
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hey..
i must say many thanks to all your thought out responses and contributions, you are very right in pointing out the counter purpos of the project,,,if its not much trouble may you help me come up with a more problem solving project for my final year.. i am sadly out of ideas..

thank you
 

hevans1944

Hop - AC8NS
Jun 21, 2012
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hey..
i must say many thanks to all your thought out responses and contributions, you are very right in pointing out the counter purpos of the project,,,if its not much trouble may you help me come up with a more problem solving project for my final year.. i am sadly out of ideas..

thank you
A very serious worldwide problem is the shortage of potable water for drinking and cooking, not to mention enough water (potable or not) for washing and cleaning. We are surrounded by oceans of water, but desalinization plants are expensive and few. An inexpensive, readily available, method to purify water and perhaps re-cycle the impurities removed would be a most worthy problem solving project, although not necessarily involving electronics per se.
 

wingnut

Aug 9, 2012
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You have heard of "Nike pumps". They are shoes with soles which have air in them, so that when jogging, you can pump them up, and so they are less jarring when your foot lands. How about putting something like an enema (rubber bulb) under each sole, and connecting the two enemas with a plastic tube. This way, it will cushion your footfall, and push the air from left enema to right, to left.... etc. through the plastic tube.

Now put a waterwheel, turbine in the middle of the plastic tube, and attach this to a generator and you have human powered electricity as you walk.

I have not done too many final year projects, but does it matter if they are practical or not?

Otherwise I have hand-pump torches which generate a current which lights a LED. Each could be strapped to a shoe, and at each footfall, would light the torch so you can see where you are walking. They do make a slight noise, but sell that as a feature to scare snakes away ;)

I could give more ideas, but what course is it that you are completing?
 

wingnut

Aug 9, 2012
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A very serious worldwide problem is the shortage of potable water for drinking and cooking, not to mention enough water (potable or not) for washing and cleaning. We are surrounded by oceans of water, but desalinization plants are expensive and few. An inexpensive, readily available, method to purify water and perhaps re-cycle the impurities removed would be a most worthy problem solving project, although not necessarily involving electronics per se.

Using electrolysis and a bit of salty water, one can generate chlorine gas to purify water. This could be a cheap option worth exploring.
 

makanaka

Oct 13, 2015
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very true, however i have been advisEd by my academic supervisor to incline towards power or control systems, something along those lines would be of great help. thNK YOU
 
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