SolePower, a
wearable device that can be inserted into the shoe is able to convert the
energy in your steps to electrical energy which can be used to charge a
rechargeable battery.
A new campaign
to raise $50,000 has started in order to develop a wearable device which will
be able to fully charge a smartphone after about 4km to 8km of walk. This distance
is the estimated average mileage of an average individual a day.
This would
mean you can use your phone without the fear of exhausting the charge on your
mobile device. The device is inserted to the sole of the shoe to be used. The battery
to be charged is attached the device which charges the battery as you move
around. Your mobile device (phones, MP3 players) can be attached to the battery
later to charge it.
The project
started initially as a senior design project at the Carnegie Mellon University
before developing into a serious product. The campaign has nine more days to
run and has been able to gather about $42,000.
The device
which is water resistant will start shipping by December 2014. It seems this is
an initiative that should be embraced since most people walk every day and this
wasted energy could be harnessed in this way. Let’s wait and see how this will
develop.
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SolePower charger charges your phone while you walk