Cutline Speaks

Forget PG&E…create your own energy!

posted by Meghan on April 11, 2008

Need more excuses to walk more than just to stay healthy? Now you can lose weight, stay fit and create some electricity. BusinessWeek reported on a lightweight device that generates up to 5 watts of electricity just by bending and straightening your knee. It's a leg brace with a control device attached near the knee. Just one minute of walking produces enough electricity to power a cell phone for 10 minutes! The device is the product of nearly a decade of research at British Columbia's Simon Fraser University and is being developed by a company called Bionic Power.

Each of these devices will be able to make only small amounts of power. The benefits seem endless with this technology...think about the savings and efficiency we'd see if each person could power their own GPS devices, PDA's and eventually cars. If everyone used one of these devices to start powering even just their own small gadgets, the electricity savings could be huge! I know I'd wear a few just to cut down on my electricity bill!

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