Kinetic Energy: Harnessing the Energy Naturally Created By Our Own Bodies

Kinetic energy is formed whenever we move around we drive around. Harnessing that power by various forms of technology allows that energy to be transformed into electrical power and used for a number of applications. It is happening at this very time in various locations and in many ways. From soldiers with specially fitted backpacks to bras, phones, and other applications to gather kinetic energy, our daily activities can possibly create enough power to run the appliances and lights around us.

Tokyo installed panels in a Burger King as well as in another location to harness the energy created as the thousands of cars drove past the store. Recently, Tokyo took the process one step further by adding specially designed tiles to the floors in a commuter station "Hatsudenyuka", which harnesses the energy of the thousands of human feet that pass over them to create the electricity to power the lights overhead. The Tokyo commuter station has signs that point out the tiles, explaining why they are there and what they can accomplish to encourage more people to travel through them and therefore create even more electricity.

The United States Army has been harnessing the power of kinetic energy with backpacks that capture soldiers' motions. The packs then allow the soldiers to use the gathered energy to power small lights and other items once they stop moving for the day. This allows the soldiers to carry less equipment like batteries and other power sources when they are hiking for long distances and eliminates the need to carry back used batteries out of training missions.

Several cell phones have been developed that are meant to recharge themselves using kinetic energy, including one that is worn around the neck, one that is worn on the wrist and one that opens and closes like a handle to create the kinetic energy flow.

Finally, science is working on ways to harness the movement of a woman's breast by creating a bra that works on the kinetic energy theory. The hope is that there would be small wires installed along the frame work of the bra itself that could capture the motion of the breasts and create enough power to run an iPod or similar devices for the avid runner or athlete, eliminating the need to continually charge it or to buy new batteries.

As the average person walks literally miles every day, it would only make sense that this energy be recaptured and harnessed to be put to good use. You can recharge your body as you recharge your iPod.


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