People powered electricity
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with the novel idea of using people to power electricity generators. When I read this I had visions of people running in giant hamster wheels attached to massive dynamos to generate electricity. Unfortunately that is not what the researchers have come up with. Their concept is to use a flooring system made up of blocks that depress a tiny amount under the weight of people walking over them. Their vision is to have these floors installed in public and private places where crowds gather, such as train stations, nightclubs…etc.
The amount of electricity generated by one footstep can power a 60w light bulb for one second. Not a lot really, but if you multiply that by many hundreds or even thousands the electricity generated can be quite significant. It’s all about location. In the right places there is potential for large amounts of electricity to be generated for free. It seems such a good idea, I hope it takes off.
