View Full Version : Phones powered from footfalls on their way.
Just wondering how receptive the AT community will be to this new technology that allows you to recharge all of your electronic gadgets from your favorite passtime?
Here is a link to an article: http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2204018/phones-powered-footfalls-way
and here is link to their website: http://www.m2epower.com/index.htm
Doppler
warraghiyagey
12-02-2007, 17:01
Hmmm. Not sure about this article. Tries to get your attention in the headline then NEVER mentions football in the article. Poor editing. The general rule in writing is that if you mention it in the headline you need to explain within the first couple paragraphs.
They didn't mention it again, anywhere.
That's because the title has the word "footFalls" not "footBalls".
wrongway_08
12-02-2007, 17:09
Seems pretty neat. Depends how it would be wired. Would have to be simple so that it can be changed around different clothing - quickly.
this makes me think... we have self-winding watches that work on the motion of your arm/wrist... why cant they apply that same principle to other electronics?
And why is it hard to find self-winding watches anymore?
4eyedbuzzard
12-02-2007, 19:33
They prototyped a similar thing built into a pack frame a few years back. It used the small up and down motion of a persons gait to power a very small (a couple of ounces) generator of sorts to recharge small batteries. Never heard anything further on it.
bigboots
12-02-2007, 19:40
I can see this charger being possible. They have the batteryless flashlights that you need to shake to recharge (works on the kinetic energy of the shaking). It appears the same principle applies to this charger. The only thing I would wonder is that if this works well, will this allow people to bring more gadgets/technology to the trail that might be intrusive to the quiet, simple, nature of the AT?
Bigboots
The one that was integrated into the backpack can be found here: http://www.lightningpacks.com/
It only applies to external frame packs which is probably a small percentage of packs these days. Great concept thought.
Uncle Silly
12-02-2007, 20:01
This is lab stuff. A press release. Military applications are 12-18 months away. Consumer applications "soon after".
Interesting potential in the technology, but really, any shoes you'd want to wear on the trail are 3-5 years out, and when they do show up they'll be ridiculously expensive. Boooring. Call me when you can actually buy something.
wrongway_08
12-02-2007, 20:30
I am going with one of the hand crank power sources, they seem reliable and compact.
http://www.iprepare.com/sicephch.html