The US Marines are testing radical new pants that will give them 'power on the go'. Called PowerWalk, this light-weight, leg-mounted design harvests energy from the natural action of walking.
Users can generate 10 to 12 watts while wearing the device and after an hour-long walk, they can create enough electricity to charge four smartphones.
PowerWalk is the brainchild of Canada-based Bionic Power, which developed the exoskeleton to help reduce the number of batteries soldiers need to carry on missions to provide more space for essential field gear.
'A soldier typically carries 16-20lbs in batteries on a 72-hour mission,' says Noel Soto, U.S. Army Systems Engineer at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center.
'If a soldier can generate power with wearable energy-harvesting devices, it means we can not only reduce the weight on his or her back, we also minimize the unit's reliance on field resupply, making it possible for us to extend the duration and effectiveness of a mission.'
A gearbox transforms the knee's rotational speed to a higher speed for efficient power generation and a generator converts the mechanical power into electricity.
Then a 'state-of-the-art power-conversion' circuit converts the electricity for battery charging which gives proves the charge for Li-ion or NiMh batteries.
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