Pacesetters is a project created by Facility Architects, a London-based design firm. Its aim is to harness the vibrations generated by activities within a city and generate electricity for lighting purposes. The electronics company Philips and Hull University are also taking part in the project.
Contents
History
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) of the United States pioneered research into the field of energy harvesting from vibrations, wanting to reduce the use of heavy rechargeable batteries that power communication devices carried by soldiers into battlefields. Most of the research was spent in development of "heel-strike" [generators], which were powered through the pumping motion of a footstep, which would be embedded within a heel of an army boot. They succeeded in achieving upwards of 3 - 6 watts of power output.
Design
There are currently two design prototypes being considered. The first prototype is a staircase that will contain either hydraulic or piezoelectric mechanisms within the steps to absorb the kinetic energy from stairclimbers' footfalls, and then convert them into electricity. This method is believed to more efficient as more energy is expended by the commuters to ascend the staircase. The prototype is expected to be installed and tested by summer 2007.
The second design consists of a wireless system of lighting that will use tiny generators with components designed to resonate at the same frequency of surrounding vibrations. The resonance will then either move a tiny magnet relative to a coil of wire looped around it or apply pressure to a crystal inside the generator to create current. Light-emitting diodes or LEDs connected to such vibration harvesters could be used to illuminate areas where constant heavy vibration is present, such as train or metro stations, airports or highways. This system will enable lighting without any cables or wires connected to the power grid.