Originally published November 15 2005
New backpack harnesses the energy of hikers
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Lawrence Rome and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania have designed a backpack that can convert the mechanical energy generated by a hiker or walker into electricity.
A backpack that converts a plodding gait into electricity could soon be charging up mobile phones, navigation devices and even portable disc players, U.S.-based researchers said Thursday.
Their backpack design converts mechanical energy from the up-and-down movement of the backpack's cargo to electricity during normal walking.
Fueled by a snack, hikers can put the spring in their steps to good use, the researchers write in Friday's issue of the journal Science.
The backpack is deliberately designed to shake around a bit.
The up-and-down movement of the backpack's cargo compartment against the frame of the pack turns a gear connected to a generator.
The simple magnetic coil generator is similar in principal to those seen in hand-cranked radios, flashlights that work after a rhythmic shaking and other devices.
Trodding along under a hefty 85 pounds of weight in the backpack can produce up to 7 watts of electricity, Lawrence Rome and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania report.
This is more than enough electricity to simultaneously power an MP3 music player, a personal digital assistant, night vision goggles, a handheld Global Positioning Satellite navigation device, and a mobile telephone.
Human hips rise and fall about 2 inches with each step, and a backpack worn by a person who is walking rises and falls as well, they said.
"As humans walk, they vault over their extended leg, causing the hip to rise 5 to 7 centimeters on each step.
"Metabolically speaking, we've found this to be much cheaper than we anticipated.
The energy you exert could be offset by carrying an extra snack, which is nothing compared to weight of extra batteries," Rome said.
"Pound for pound, food contains about 100-fold more energy than batteries."
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