Umair Gaines
There are several companies that have developed technologies to convert kinetic energy from walking into electricity. One such company is Energy Floors, a Netherlands-based company that has developed the Sustainable Energy Floor and Sustainable Dance Floor, which use electromagnetic generators to convert footsteps into electricity. Another example is InStep NanoPower, a startup company that has developed a footwear-embedded energy harvester that captures the energy produced during walking and stores it for later use. Additionally, Hayamizu has developed a system based on piezoelectricity, which generates an electric current when squeezed or pressed, and has installed it in Shibuya, Tokyo, one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas. These innovations offer promising solutions for generating clean and sustainable energy from pedestrian traffic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Energy Floors |
| Company Location | The Netherlands |
| Product Name | Sustainable Energy Floor and Sustainable Dance Floor |
| Product Functionality | Converts footsteps into electricity |
| Average Electricity Generation | 15 Watts, up to 25 Watts peak |
| Electricity Generation Capacity | 40 tiles can generate up to 1 kW |
| Tile Material | Recyclable |
| Tile Movement | Flexes about 10 mm |
| Tile Technology | Electromagnetic generator |
| Use Cases | Railway platforms, high-traffic walkways, shopping malls, concert stages |
| Other Companies | InStep NanoPower, Keio University, UK-based piezoelectric tile manufacturer |
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What You'll Learn
Energy Floors' Sustainable Energy Floor and Sustainable Dance Floor
The Dutch company Energy Floors is a leader in converting footsteps into electricity. Their products, the Sustainable Energy Floor and the Sustainable Dance Floor, are designed to generate electricity from human movement. As a person steps on an Energy Floor tile, the tile flexes about 10 mm, and this movement is converted into electricity – 15 Watts on average, and up to 25 Watts peak. The Sustainable Energy Floor can be used in a variety of locations, from shopping malls to railway platforms, to generate electricity from pedestrian traffic.
The Sustainable Dance Floor, on the other hand, is specifically designed for large-scale events and has been used by Coldplay to boost their sustainability initiatives. The dance floor uses kinetic energy generated by the crowd's movements to power its LED lights and any other special add-ons. The regular version of the dance floor consists of 8 smart tiles and can generate up to 160 Watt-peak of sustainable output. The biggest version consists of 32 smart kinetic tiles and can generate up to 640 Watt-peak.
Energy Floors' innovative technology promotes sustainability and raises awareness about sustainable energy in an interactive and fun way. By harnessing the power of pedestrian and crowd movement, these floors can contribute to energy savings and reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources. This technology also encourages people to actively participate in sustainability efforts.
In addition to Energy Floors, other companies and researchers are also exploring similar technologies to harvest energy from pedestrian traffic. For example, The Walker sidewalk technology installed in Rotterdam’s Smart City district can generate power for mobile phone charging or electric car usage. Hayamizu, a researcher from Keio University, developed piezoelectric technology that was installed in Shibuya train station, one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas, to generate electricity from the footsteps of the 900,000 people who pass through daily. These initiatives demonstrate the growing interest in finding new ways to generate clean and sustainable energy.
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Piezoelectric tiles
While piezoelectric tiles are often mentioned in discussions about sustainable energy, their practical applications are limited by their low energy output and higher costs compared to other technologies. They are sometimes considered for use in public spaces such as parks, plazas, or sidewalks to power low-energy devices like lights and sensors. For example, a power-generating floor made of piezoelectric tiles was installed in a Japanese train station in 2008, which was traversed by more than 400,000 people daily. However, the tiles could only provide enough electricity to power some of the LED lighting.
Another example of piezoelectric tiles in use is the installation in Shibuya's Hachiko Square, which was placed in one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas with 900,000 people passing through daily. This installation generated enough electricity to power 1,422 televisions for one hour during its 20-day run. Hayamizu, the developer of the technology, believes that similar systems could be installed on a wide range of scales, from small systems embedded in mobile phones to large systems on highways that harness the electricity generated by vehicles.
Despite the potential of piezoelectric tiles, their energy output is relatively low, making them less suitable for large-scale or high-impact energy generation. Kinetic pavements and tiles are similar to piezoelectric tiles but are designed to generate more energy. They use advanced technology that allows them to generate energy when compressed and flexed, making them more versatile and scalable. As a result, kinetic systems are more suitable for larger-scale applications and have the potential to make a significant contribution to energy savings and sustainability efforts.
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Kinetic energy floors
The Dutch company Energy Floors has been using kinetic energy floor technology since 2008 to convert footsteps into electricity. The floor tiles are designed to flex under the weight of a person's footsteps, which drives a generator to produce an energy output of up to 35 watts per module. This energy can then be used to power connected devices or illuminate built-in LED lights. Energy Floors offers both standard and custom kinetic floor solutions, and their products have been used by Coldplay, Heineken, and Skoda.
Kinetic energy is a form of energy associated with the motion of an object. It can be generated by human activities such as walking, running, jumping, or dancing. By harnessing the kinetic energy produced by these everyday movements, Energy Floors' kinetic energy floors provide a sustainable and innovative way to capture and store renewable energy. The company's mission is to engage the public in positive environmental activities and raise awareness about the global energy transition away from fossil fuels.
One of Energy Floors' products is "The Dancer," a sustainable dance floor composed of different modules. When people step, jump, or dance on these modules, they trigger an electro-mechanical mechanism that creates between 25 and 35 watts of energy. This energy can then be transformed into electricity to power connected devices or light up the floor's LEDs. "The Dancer" has been featured in brand activation events, experiential marketing campaigns, festivals, trade shows, and museums as an interactive installation.
In addition to Energy Floors, other companies are also exploring the potential of kinetic energy floors. Pavegen Systems, for example, offers smart flooring technology that transforms footsteps into electrical energy, data, and rewards. Their mission is to help create a more sustainable future by generating renewable energy from footsteps and providing educational experiences that inspire stakeholders.
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InStep NanoPower's footwear-embedded energy harvester
The quest to turn walking into electricity has led to the development of innovative technologies that harness the kinetic energy of human motion. Among these, the InStep NanoPowers footwear-embedded energy harvester stands out as a promising solution for capturing and utilising energy from walking.
InStep NanoPower is a startup company born out of the research conducted by UW–Madison Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Tom Krupenkin and J. Ashley Taylor, a senior scientist in UW–Madison's Mechanical Engineering Department. Their work focuses on harnessing the energy generated during walking and using it to power mobile electronic devices.
The InStep NanoPowers footwear-embedded energy harvester is designed to capture the energy produced by human walking motion. The technology is embedded within the shoe sole and can generate an estimated 10 watts of power per shoe. This energy, which is typically wasted as heat, is enough to power a wide range of mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets, and flashlights. The system offers a cable-based charging option, allowing users to directly connect their devices to the shoe for charging.
Additionally, InStep NanoPowers offers a cable-free solution by integrating the energy harvester with various electronic devices embedded in the shoe. For example, a Wi-Fi hotspot can be incorporated into the shoe, acting as a "middleman" between mobile devices and a wireless network. This setup significantly reduces the power requirements of wireless mobile devices, enabling a cellphone battery to last up to 10 times longer between charges.
The potential applications of the InStep NanoPowers footwear-embedded energy harvester are far-reaching. It could be particularly beneficial for the military, where soldiers currently carry heavy batteries to power essential equipment such as radios, GPS units, and night-vision goggles. With InStep NanoPowers, soldiers could reduce their load while maintaining their devices' operational readiness.
InStep NanoPowers' innovative approach to energy harvesting from walking showcases the potential for sustainable energy generation and offers a promising path toward reducing our reliance on traditional energy sources.
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The Walker sidewalk technology
The Walker technology is designed to generate electricity on a larger scale. While piezoelectric tiles have their limitations in terms of low energy output and higher costs, kinetic pavements offer a more scalable solution. The Walker sidewalk technology is composed of composite materials embedded with piezoelectric fibres. As people walk, run, or climb stairs, their movements are converted into electricity through this advanced kinetic system.
The potential of The Walker technology is significant. The installation in Rotterdam has the capacity to generate enough power for 320 people to charge their mobile phones for an entire year or for an electric car to travel approximately 4,000 kilometers. This showcases the real-world impact of harnessing pedestrian-generated energy, reducing our dependence on conventional energy sources and promoting sustainability in urban environments.
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Frequently asked questions
Energy Floors is a Dutch company that converts footsteps into electricity. Their products, the Sustainable Energy Floor and Sustainable Dance Floor, use tiles that flex under footsteps to generate electricity.
The Sustainable Energy Floor and Sustainable Dance Floor use tiles that flex about 10mm under a person's step. This movement is converted into electricity – 15 Watts on average, and up to 25 Watts at peak.
Energy Floors' tiles can be used in public spaces such as parks, plazas, or sidewalks to power low-energy devices. They have also been installed in the AFAS Experience Center in the Netherlands and on a railway platform in Russia.
Yes, InStep NanoPower is a startup company that has developed a footwear-embedded energy harvester that captures the energy produced by humans during walking. This technology can be used to power various mobile devices through a charging cable or by integrating it with electronic devices embedded in a shoe.
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