you can produce electricity by just walking

7/24/2019 You Can Produce Electricity by Just Walking

1/25

Did you know that you can produce electricity by just walking? Here's a little science experiment

that will show you a little secret on making insoles that can charge USB devices !he challenge is

to make a slip"on insole that can produce enough electricity to charge batteries# USB devices$

%oogle &air ()*+

!his is my entry ,or %oogle's ()* science ,air$ -lease support us by hitting the like and share

button on our .ou!ube video$ !he contest is .ou!ube based so getting a ,air amount o, likes and

viewers would help a lot in getting us through the competition$

!hank you guys ,or the support !he project has /uali,ied ,or the regional ,inalist and won a local

award in %S& ()* +D

Development o, !he -roject+

!he power generating soles are one o, my ,irst concept projects$ 0 started my ,irst prototype last

,ive years ago although it was a very primitive1 compared to my current design$ 2y old prototype

had two !3"4 plastic spacer sandwiched between two pie5o discs$ 0t produces a ,air amount o,

current1 enough to charge a 6okia 44)($

7 years later1 0 came back with the idea o, using the sandwiched pie5o setup1 this time integrated

to a charge collector and powerbank$ So 0 thought1 why not add more pairs? 8,ter all1 more is

better$

9oncept Behind !he -roject+

-ie5oelectricity was present ever since mid"):th century$ -ie5oelectricity is the electric charge that

accumulates in certain solid materials ;such as crystals1 certain ceramics in response to applied

mechanical stress$ !his sounds ,amiliar .es they do1 you can actually ,ind those pie5o elements in

your old# outdated earphones ,rom the that would sync to your phone wirelessly$ !his way1 you don't have to charge your smart"

shoes just to sync them with your phone$


2/25

Disclaimer+ !his is just a little science experiment$ 0t will show you the concept o, producing

electricity using pie5oelectric elements$ Don't assume that is close in becoming a product$

%28 6ews 6etwork# 9hannel 9overage+

Step 1: This Project Was/ Will Be FeaturedIn

-eople told me to post a list o, pages# shows where the project was ,eatured# aired$

6ational !elevision# !@ Shows# 6ews 9hannels+

" Aimmy &allon !onight Show ;-ending>

" 8BS"9B6 ated"C Show ;Aune )7>

" %28 6ews Unang Hirit

Daily 6ewspaper ;6ational>+

" 2anila Bulletin 6ewpaper ;Aune ):>

6ewsletters 8nd Blogs+

" 0$&$E$ Science 6ewsletter &B

" !@7 0nteraksyon 6ewsletter

" -hilnews 6ewsletter

" %28 6ews 6etwork

" .ahoo Homepage

" .ahoo 6ews -H

" Damn%eeky

" !reeHugger

" %0F23D3

" .ugatech

" etc$$$

Step 2: Science Fair Project - Coverage


3/25

0'm using %oogle's science ,air ,ormat$ !his is my instructable version$ 0t's written in a less ,ormal

manner so that hobbyist could have a better understanding over this topic$

8 Guestion !hat Bothers 2e 8 Eot+

=hy not use traditional renewable energy sources? .es 0 know pie5oelectricty is not as well

develop as o, those solar powered devices but as a curious being1 0 am open to discovering

potential energy sources$ .es1 ,ootwear generators may sound cra5y and ridiculous but there's

more than what meets the eye !hese thin insole generators have enough power to supply low

current devices$

-roblem+

9oal power is the most common energy source used in the -hilippines 1also in the world$ &or the

past decade1 our country has been tapping to renewable sources o, energy although its not

rendered ,ree and its price continuously changes ;-hilippine Star1 Aanuary ()*>$ 2ost

undeveloped areas1 specially provinces1 have no access to electricity$ &or the people who are living

in the suburbs1 charging a phone or a lamp is a big deal ,or them

3ver the past years1 my science experiments were mostly about renewable energy$ 0 started my

,irst science ,air experiment when 0 was in third"grade1 it was my ,irst miniature model o, a solar

car$ !he receding years o, my science ,air entries were mostly about wind1 solar1 hydro and

chemical energy$

2y goal is to ,ind a new source o, renewable energy1 something that does not depend on wind1

water or sunlight$ 0 did some random research and 0 came through tons o, eco"energy production


4/25

articles$ 0 told mysel,1 i, 0'll go with another solar# wind experiment1 there won't be enough

innovation by just remaking a project ,rom the internet$ Eike all scientists1 0 had to think out o, the

box$

Guestions !o -onder 3n+

" Does it have enough power to supply electricity ,or low consumption modules?

" =ill it produce enough power to charge USB devices?

" 9an it reach the USB standards?

" 9an it power a series o, EIDs?

&uture -ractical 8pplications+

" Supply on"board# independent power ,or smarts shoes and clothing$

" 8id outdoorsmen# hikers1 with %-S tracking shoes1in their journey into the vast wilderness$

" %reat ,or areas where electricity is scarce$ " Sel,"powering rescue chips in shoes$

esearch+

!he project is be accomplished by using pie5oelectric materials$ -ie5oelectricity1 also called the

pie5oelectric e,,ect1 is the ability o, certain materials to generate an alternating current voltage

when actuated$9ertain ceramics1 ochelle salts1 and various other solids exhibit this e,,ect$ &or

example1 ;-bJFrx!i)"xK34 where1(LxL)>1 also called -F!1 will generate measurable electricity

when their structure is de,ormed by about ($)M o, the original dimension;0nternational 8880

9on,erence on Social 2edia and =eblogs1 ()>$ 0n this project1 the generated electricity on a

speci,ic time will be recorded and determine i, it would be enough to completely charge a Ei"ion

battery or a high capacity capacitor$

!he project is be accomplished by using pie5oelectric materials$ -ie5oelectricity1 also called the

pie5oelectric e,,ect1 is the ability o, certain materials to generate an alternating current voltage

when actuated$9ertain ceramics1 ochelle salts1 and various other solids exhibit this e,,ect$ &or

example1 ;-bJFrx!i)"xK34 where1(LxL)>1 also called -F!1 will generate measurable electricity

when their structure is de,ormed by about ($)M o, the original dimension;0nternational 8880

9on,erence on Social 2edia and =eblogs1 ()>$ 0n this project1 the generated electricity on a

speci,ic time will be recorded and determine i, it would be enough to completely charge a Ei"ion

battery or a high capacity capacitor$

!he pie5oelectric e,,ect1 by which a material generates an electric potential in response to a

temperature change1 was studied by 9arl Einnaeus and &ran5 8epinus in the mid"):th century$

Drawing on this knowledge1 both en Aust Hauy and 8ntoine 9 sar Bec/uerel posited a relationship

between mechanical stress and electric chargeN however1 experiments by both proved inconclusive$


5/25

!he ,irst demonstration o, the direct pie5oelectric e,,ect was in )::( by the brothers -ierre 9urie

and Aac/ues 9urie$ !hey combined their knowledge o, pyroelectricity with their understanding o,

the underlying crystal structures that gave rise to pyroelectricity to predict crystal behavior1 and

demonstrated the e,,ect using crystals o, tourmaline1 /uart51topa51 cane sugar1 and ochelle salt

;sodium potassium tartrate tetrahydrate>$ Guart5 and ochelle salt exhibited the most

pie5oelectricity$

8 pie5oelectric disk generates a voltage when de,ormed ;change in shape is greatly exaggerated>

!he 9uries1 however1 did not predict the converse pie5oelectric e,,ect$ !he converse e,,ect was

mathematically deduced ,rom ,undamental thermodynamic principles by %abriel Eippmann in

)::)$ !he 9uries immediately con,irmed the existence o, the converse e,,ect1 and went on to

obtain /uantitative proo, o, the complete reversibility o, electro"elasto"mechanical de,ormations in

pie5oelectric crystals$ &or the next ,ew decades1 pie5oelectricity remained something o, a

laboratory curiosity$ 2ore work was done to explore and de,ine the crystal structures that

exhibited pie5oelectricity$ !his culminated in )


6/25

0, a whole insole was to be made with a thin ,lexible sheet o, metal and gla5ed with double"sided

pie5oelectric elements then it would probably produce enough power to charge a phone$ 8

standardi5ed opensource 4D printed design will certainly introduce a new energy"production

concept to the D0. community$ =hen everyone has access to an opensource project great ideas

,lourish

%lossary# !erms !hat .ou =ill Incounter+

-ie5o Ilectricity " is the ability o, certain materials to generate an 89 ;alternating current>

voltage when subjected to mechanical stress or vibration1 or to vibrate when subjected to an 89

voltage1 or both$ !he most common pie5oelectric material is /uart5$ 9ertain ceramics1 ochelle

salts1 and various other solids also exhibit this e,,ect$

8ctuated " cause a machine to operate# work# generate$

-ie5o " shorthand ,or pie5oelectric

89 9urrent " the ,low o, electric charge periodically reverses direction$ -ie5o elements produce

these currents$

D9 9urrent " the ,low o, electric charge is only in one direction$ Batteries produce these

currents

Bridge Diode " usually is composed o, ,our recti,ier diodes that ,ilter 89 currents and turn them

into D9 currents$

-ie5o Disc# Ilement# !ransducer " they are all the same1 it re,ers to the discrete component

that produces current when actuated$ !hey are also known as ceramic transducers and are usually

,ound in outdated pairs o, earpiece$

Step : The Concept Behind !"nderstanding

The #e$ Principles%

Step &: Parts 'nd (aterials


7/25


8/25

-arts# 2aterials+

" 9heap# %eneric USB -owerbank

" -ie5oelectric !ransducers ;Rx>

" )6*(( ecti,ier Diodes ;*x>

" Hookup =ire ;at least )P>

" 3ld -air 3, Shoes

" 9ontact 8dhesive

!ools I/uipment+

" Digital 2ultimeter

" 2ultitool ;w# pliers>

" otary !ool

3ptional+

" )((n& 2ylar 9apacitor ;,or testing>

" Hoop Eoop &astener ;@elcro>

" EID 0ndicators ;,or testing>

" Superglue ;,or ,ixing wires>

" Smartphone Sport Strap

" 7v Switching egulator ;w# supercap>

8lternatives+ ;since not all can a,,ord them>

" -owerBank Q 3ld phone batteries T ecycled 7v 0nverter

" -ei5o !ransducers Q 8 pair o, old outdated earpiece


9/25

" otary tool Q Hot 6ail ;,or melting plastic>

" 2ultitool Q 8 pair o, pliers will do

Step ): (easuring *our Sole


10/25


11/25

%et the si5e and shape o, your shoe's insole then get a pair o, heavy"duty shears# snips and

care,ully cut the -@9 material$ !he plate will act as the primary mount o, the pie5oelectric discs#

elements$

emember+ !hickness matter1 you need at least "7mm$ 0, your material is too thick1 the pie5o

elements will break due to too much ,lexing$ 0, your material is too thin1 the pie5o element won't

bend at all thus converting less power$

Step +: Find 'nd Cut 'n Ideal (aterial

!Sheet/ Plate%


12/25


13/25

6ow surround the -@9 plate with three pie5o discs$ How do 0 know where the center is? !he

PcenterP that 0'm re,erring to is area where all the pressure is withdrawn by your ,oot1 your sole$

8,ter getting a ,ix preview o, the setup1 get a pencil and trace the pie5o discs$ &inally use your

compass to draw smaller circles1 about mm smaller in radius$ !he mm spacing will act as your

margin$

=hat material should 0 use?

Based on my design1 0 needed a plate that is "7mm thick1 lightweight1 sti,, and can endure a lot

o, ,lexing$ 2etals are too sti,, while carbon ,iber is too thin$ 8,ter playing around with a bunch o,

materials1 0've ,ound out that -@9 ,its best in my application$

=ere did you get the -@9 material?

-@9 materials are all around us$ .ou can ,ind them in your local hardware store but in the ,orm o,

pipes$ 0 got mine ,rom our excess supply o, -@9 pipes when our house was built$ ecycling means

,ree ,or me +>

Step ,: rinding .oles n P0C Pads


14/25

0n this step1 grinding is re/uired to bore# drill round holes$ Since 0 don't have large drill bits ;as

large as the marked area>1 0've thought o, way to cleanly cut the holes and that's by using my

handy rotary tool$


15/25

0, you don't have a rotary tool1 you can still cleanly cut the plastic by doing it Pthe old ,ashioned

wayP1 by heating an iron nail and melting the plastic$

Step : luing The Pieoelectric 3le4ents

!hese pie5o discs must endure a lot o, ,lexing since you'll be stepping on them repeatedly 6ever

use superglue1 i, you do1 the moment you step on your insole the pie5o discs will snap o,, the -@9

pad$ 0nstead1 use those /uick setting Pcontact adhesivesP$ !heir rubbery characteristic makes them

ideal ,or this project since they stretch whenever they are bent$

Step 5: Soldering The Pieos Together


16/25

Solder all pie5o elements together in parallel$ Don't solder them in series because you'll need more

current than voltage and those pie5oelectric discs will cancel each other's power output when not

actuated at the same time$

-ie5o elements produce 89 currents$ Unlike D9 currents1 you can't just tap in the line$ since 89

currents are always alternating polarities$ Aust like power generators1 whether it may be solar or

petrol1 you can't just tap directly to the powerlines without aligning the 89 wave's phase otherwise

the generator will cancel each other$ ;Ix$ 6egative meets -ositive " -ositive meets 6egative>$ !his

in,ers that parallel works best ,or our project$

0mprovements+

!hrough this process o, experimentation1 0've reali5ed that even i, they are hooked in parallel the

pie5oelectric elements can still cancel each other's output o,, ;when not actuated simultaneously>$

!his leads to conclusion that you'll need to add one bridge diode per pie5o element# disc$

Step 16: Building ' Bridge 7iode


17/25


18/25

-ei5oelectric elements produce 89 when subjected to mechanical stress$ Un,ortunately1 USB

devices need D9 and not"89$ 8 bridge diode is re/uired to ,ilter and convert 89 to D9$


19/25

Schematic+

Aust ,ollow the schematic diagram above$ Solder the pei5o discs to your bridge diode$ emember

89 has no polarity1 you can invert the wires either way$ !he load ;shown as a resistor> represents

your appliance$

ecycling+

9&E bulbs contain electronic ballasts1 each ballast contains at least six to eight recti,ier diodes$

!hose diodes are compatible with our project$ -lease be care,ul in disassembling 9&E bulbs1 0'm

not liable i, any o, you get injured$

Step 11: 'dding Foa4s Pushers

6ow glue small a small piece o, ,oam on the very center o, each pie5o disc$ !hese ,oams will act as

pushers$ !hese ,oams will s/uee5e the pie5o discs inwards ;like sandwitches> while walking$

Step 12: 8servation 'nd Testing


20/25

&inally1 we are going to test the validity o, or theory$ Start by getting a digital"tester and switch it

to the digit D9 range$ emember1 pie5o elements produce a short burst o, current the moment

you push them so adding a )((n& capacitor should make the readings much more readable$

2y volt meter displayed+

-ressing By Hand V )7$(4 volts ;m8>

=alking By &oot V ):$74 volts ;7m8>

unning By &oot V $:< volts ;))m8>

Step 1: Installing The Insole


21/25

Slip the insole generator between the shoe and the insole$

Step 1&: 'dding ' Po9er8an ; Soldering


22/25


23/25

!he insole generator peaks a voltage o, : volts1 the current may be small but the voltage is

enough to damage the powebank's 7v charger ;circuitry>$ 0 won't be using the :(7 since it's /uite

old and ine,,icient$ ight now1 my insole generator is soldered directly to my powerbank's lithium

battery$ 0t works but it's not completely not sa,e$ !his is just a prototype so expect another

0nstructable tutorial# write"up next week$

U-D8!I+ Say goodbye to the huge bulging powerbanks 0 have a newer version o, the project1 the

powerbank is now integrated with the insole$ 0 also added a charge collector circuit$

Step 1): Conclusion/


24/25


25/25

you can produce electricity by just walking

Documents