Generating Electricity While Walking with Loads

作者：Lawrence C. Rome, Louis Flynn, Evan Michael Goldman, Taeseung D. Yoo · 发表于：Science · 年份：2005 · DOI：10.1126/science.1111063 · 被引用次数：602 · 研究领域：Robotic Locomotion and Control、Aerospace Engineering and Energy Systems

We have developed the suspended-load backpack, which converts mechanical energy from the vertical movement of carried loads (weighing 20 to 38 kilograms) to electricity during normal walking [generating up to 7.4 watts, or a 300-fold increase over previous shoe devices (20 milliwatts)]. Unexpectedly, little extra metabolic energy (as compared to that expended carrying a rigid backpack) is required during electricity generation. This is probably due to a compensatory change in gait or loading regime, which reduces the metabolic power required for walking. This electricity generation can help give field scientists, explorers, and disaster-relief workers freedom from the heavy weight of replacement batteries and thereby extend their ability to operate in remote areas.