Electric Steps: Discover the Wooden Floor That Promises to Generate Energy When Walking on Its Surface

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 11/09/2021 at 15:21

Updated on 11/09/2021 at 15:42

Sun et al / Matter

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Researchers Develop Device Capable of Capturing Energy as You Walk on Its Surface

Climate change is forcing companies and governments around the world to seek cheap and renewable alternatives for electric energy generation. Researchers from ETH Zurich in Switzerland, Chongqing University in China, and Northwestern University in Illinois, USA, are developing a way to capture the energy generated by our feet that promises to revolutionize wooden floors.

The idea of the study is to generate energy through wooden floors. They developed a prototype for energy capture called a nano generator, where wood is used with a silicone covering and nano crystals. A study published in the journal Matter reports that the device is capable of generating electricity to power LED lamps and other low-energy equipment.

How Does the Wooden Floor That Generates Energy Work?

The device consists of two pieces of wood that sandwich electrodes. When stepped on, the pieces of wood become charged due to contact and separation. This effect is known as triboelectric.

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energy electric floor wood — ***Example of how the device that turns wooden flooring into a source of energy works. Source: Matter***

Although the project has been successful in its prototypes, scientists emphasize that more work is needed to create a product capable of being sold on an industrial scale.

“We have focused our attention on developing an approach to make it even more industrially friendly. And for that, we may need to sacrifice overall efficiency in favor of easier methods for modifying the wood,” highlighted Panzarasa, senior author of the project.

The ability to generate energy in homes is expected to become more common in the near future. The average energy production from a single device is not high; however, it can generate a significant amount if several devices are installed in a residence.

“Thus, while the electrical output of a single device is not as high as what we published, the combination of many devices in a larger flooring unit will ultimately produce a significant amount of energy,” he concluded.

Electric Steps: Discover the Wooden Floor That Promises to Generate Energy When Walking on Its Surface

Researchers Develop Device Capable of Capturing Energy as You Walk on Its Surface

How Does the Wooden Floor That Generates Energy Work?

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Electric Steps: Discover the Wooden Floor That Promises to Generate Energy When Walking on Its Surface

Researchers Develop Device Capable of Capturing Energy as You Walk on Its Surface

How Does the Wooden Floor That Generates Energy Work?

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Instead of burning or burying old tires, an American city is transforming about 2,000 of them into the street itself, paving its first sections with a quieter and more durable rubber asphalt.

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