Unleashing the power -A step at a time!
- Dr. Chaitanya Dasika
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Dr. Chaitanya Dasika
9930610218
Research Professional, NMIMS university
Evenings at Emerald Isle have always been pleasant and full of life.
I barely get a window to visit the garden during early evenings but on the days, I visit I feel energized want to make it a regular practice.
The play zone near T6 or the relatively longer walking tracks that EI offer are a treat to the residents who bond and enjoy over a walk or a talk in these lawns.
The play zone buzzing with bubbly babies, tiny tots and curious Kids is a sight that can energize onlookers and elevate your mood instantaneously.
This really got me thinking as a professor who is always exploring ways to nurture and use the potential, how can we use this bubbly energy to power a couple of lights in the same garden zone or may be a walking path? This got me thinking!
The Concept - Using Foot steps to generate Power.
The idea is nascent but has an immense potential to power a few simple pathways! But
What Exactly is this idea?
How does it work?
Is it worth exploring?
What is the idea?
Emerald isle with its nearly 1500 odd apartments is a home to many fitness enthusiasts, people who are regular with their walks and of course energetic kids.
The idea is to harness the “True power of walking” where a small zone in the kids play park or a specific walking track can offer a potential pilot opportunity to explore the possibility of converting simple mechanical ( I believe its Kinetic too ) energy that gets generated through these footsteps of kids or the walkers into Electrical energy.
Electrical energy generated through the footsteps can simply power a few lights surrounding path ways.
How does it work?
Drawing inspiration from Japanese smart and sustainable cities like Shibuya where the stations use tiles where every foot step you take generates small amount energy.
Millions of steps can power LED lamps that light up creating smart and sustainable cities. India too has this system being piloted at sites with high foot fall like Amritsar’s Golden temple and Tirumala city.
The energy thus generated through footsteps is cleaner, greener and can power the surroundings.
A frequently used walking path with high foot fall area can be used as an experimental pilot zone in the small patch of the garden or the walking track.
Banking on Piezoelectric sensors that use or Rack and pinion systems the kinetic energy of footsteps can be converted into electrical energy!
With a humble investment of few thousands for installing these piezoelectric materials, sensors, and the potential of DIY nature of these tool kits, and with minimal space requirement this project offers the potential of power generation and every step of walker contributes towards illuminating EI in an ecofriendly manner.
This seems to an interesting idea worth considering. The best advantage of power generated through these footsteps is it is renewable.
Imagine an Energy that is renewable and one that is so easily generated by almost everyone who can walk or jump.
The biggest advantage of the power generated through this ecofriendly, zero carbon foot print method is it is immune to weather, or seasonality.
Simple footsteps can aid in power generation and light up the pathways.
The enthusiastic residents continue to walk in all weathers; Unlike solar which needs a specific parameter; this if implement can light up the path ways get the greener clearances, who knows may boost brand image and inspire budding young scientists in EI.
This source of energy source if explored has an immense potential of powering the common areas.
While Solar is being harnessed in a few towers, this is a potentially viable alternative which may be worth considering.
Is it worth exploring?
The idea can fuel curiosity amongst budding scientists of EI, train and motivate the next generation to embrace cleaner greener renewable energy options, while encouraging them to be their best version of themselves by just jumping, playing and walking on those tiles - while their movements or steps can continue to brighten our paths! (power being generated)!
So may Be worth Exploring!!
Dear Readers what are your thoughts on Taking a Step At a time – To unleash the Power of your footsteps?
Please feel to reach out to Dr. Dasika Chaitanya of Tower 10 (Researcher by Passion and professor by profession)
Comments