Marching soldiers charge batteries
10 Aug 2009 by Evoluted New Media
Engineers have found a way of converting kinetic energy produced when soldiers march into electricity to power their equipment.
Engineers have found a way of converting kinetic energy produced when soldiers march into electricity to power their equipment.
The new system could help troops reduce the weight of their packs by up to 10kg by eliminating the need for conventional batteries. The new environmentally friendly devices would benefit soldiers by reducing weight but also by providing cushioning for legs and joints as they march.
The project from the University of Leeds, addresses the need to reduce pack weight for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan to increase mobility on the battlefield and reduce the risk of long term health problems.
Professor Andrew Bell, director of the Institute of Materials Research at the University of Leeds, said: “As well as the obvious green issue of using so many batteries, it could also reduce a soldier’s pack weight by around 15%. And this technology could potentially have lots of applications in civvy street too.”
Harvesting energy from the walking motion is difficult - materials with high flexibility and strength are needed and the device must be adaptable as each person has a different walking pattern.
Professor Bell said: “By using the latest materials and electronics combined with taking into account personal differences in walking style we are confident we can make this work without adding to the burden or fatigue of the soldier wearing the device.”
The University of Leeds kinetic energy project is part of a larger research programme called the ‘battery free soldier’, commissioned by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The larger project will also attempt to convert and store solar power and body heat.
By Leila Sattary
