You also renewable energy source
2008/03/16 Lakar Iraizoz, Oihane - Elhuyar Zientzia
Now, on the contrary, they want to develop other ways such as the transformation of the energy of raindrops into electricity or the energy capture of vibrating appliances. It seems that a great effort is being made to make all the energy sources valuable. They want to take advantage of all joules, why waste them?
Thus, in recent times there has been a new tendency: to transform the human body into a source of energy. We have had knowledge of two researches that are based on this idea, but anyone knows what complicated ideas researchers handle.
University of Michigan researchers are developing a special tool to transform the energy we spend from the knee when we walk. When walking, when the knee advances in each step, it takes speed. However, when the foot touches the ground, the knee stops in the new position on the foot. The device receives the energy generated during braking by being held in the knee. Normally this energy is lost
Since we think, it is not a new idea; we have long known a device based on a similar mechanism: the lighting of some bicycles. Don't they have a front bulb and a dynamo to give you energy? The operation is the same: the dynamo takes advantage of the movement of the bicycle to generate electricity and supply energy to the bulb. To do this, a piece of the dynamo is placed against the wheel to turn with the wheel.
Someone will take into account the resistance that this part sometimes produces to the wheel and that you have to make a greater effort to move with the dynamic bike! Well, the tool developed by Michigan researchers also annoys the walker”, among other things, has a weight of 1.6 kilos”, and has to make an additional force to dress the device.
Instead of body, in clothes
The second apparatus that human beings use to produce energy is not directly related to the body, but to the garments that we wear. In fact, the Georgia Institute of Technology has manufactured a thread of piezo nanofibers, that is, very small fibers that produce electricity from a mechanical stress (rubbing one against another, for example).
Through these nanofibers, the fibers that are commonly used in the textile industry have been manufactured yarns suitable for the making of garments. With the use of these yarns to weave a shirt or jersey, scientists want to get clothes that produce electricity with movement.
The truth is that both in one and the other, very little electricity is produced, on the one hand, because the knees spend little energy when walking and, on the other, because the special threads they have created generate little electricity.
However, they will be used to power devices that do not require too much electricity such as mobile phones, GPS or mp3 readers. Therefore, researchers believe that they will make the prototypes in their hands easily transportable.
Published in Zazpika
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Elhuyarrek garatutako teknologia
