RUSTON, La., April 29 (UPI) -- A U.S. professor says he has developed a technology that uses power produced by a small generator embedded in the sole of a shoe.
Louisiana Tech University Assistant Professor Ville Kaajakari said the device -- developed at the school's Institute for Micromanufacturing -- is based on new voltage regulation circuits that efficiently convert a piezoelectric charge into usable voltage. He said the power could be used for charging batteries or for directly powering electronics.
"This technology could benefit, for example, hikers that need emergency location devices or beacons," Kaajakari said. "For more general use, you can use it to power portable devices without wasteful batteries. Ultimately, we want to bring up the power levels up to a point where we could … charge or power other portable devices, such as cell phones."
The invention is featured in the MEMS Investor Journal.
