Nineteen-year-old Pankaj Sharma from India has invented a pair of shoes that can charge your cellphone while you are on the move – literally! By simplying walking, your cellphone can be charged within an hour’s time.
The way it works is pretty simple. A dynamo is attached to the shoe, which converts the mechanical energy, generated by the act of walking, into electrical energy. A bridge rectifier converts the AC current into DC current, producing five to six volts of electricity for charging your phone.
This invention has earned Pankaj a first prize award in the student category from the National Innovation Foundation.
I can see it already. The technology will be fitted into Nike shoes, not only tracking your jogging statistics but powering and charging the iPod as well. And a link from the iPod to the would-be iPhone allows it to get charged as well! Buy the boy’s work, Steve.
September 12th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
I did hear of a similar invention many years ago, which just seemed to die out. I hope that this one does not. Think of the number of power stations world wide that we could do without if this really takes off.