Bipedal locomotion is extremely efficient, which is why our ancestors were able to develop successful endurance hunting strategies that allowed them to catch animals simply by continuing the chase until they collapsed from exhaustion. Despite this, walking can still feel like a lot of effort that is largely wasted. What if you could turn your walk to the bus stop into an extra minute or two of doomscrolling on TikTok? Jeevan made it possible with these DIY generator shoes convert the steps into electricity.
Piezoelectricity is electricity generated by the mechanical stress on certain materials, such as quartz. This typically produces very little power, so the piezoelectric effect is most commonly used in sensors. Acoustic-electric guitars, for example, often have piezoelectric pickups that convert vibrations in the wood into a weak audio signal that can be amplified. However, it is possible to generate a usable amount of power with a piezoelectric element and enough force—if you define “usable” generously. Jeevan’s shoes do just that: they charge a 18650 lithium battery that can be used later.
These shoes use the voltage generated by the force of the wearer’s steps to generate electricity in small piezoelectric plates. Jeevan’s design places six of these plates on the bottom of the shoe, sandwiched between the original insole and a second homemade insole. When the wearer takes a step, the piezoelectric plates are smashed, bent and jostled, generating electricity. Jeevan says it generates around 7V, but doesn’t specify an exact amperage, so we can’t judge the overall performance.
A diode bridge converts AC power from the piezoelectric plates to DC power to send the power to a charging module (it appears to be a generic TP4056 based board) that charges the 18650 battery that sits in a holder on the side of the shoe. Eventually, this battery can be inserted into a device to use the power generated.
Since we don’t know how much power will be generated (it can’t be much), it’s hard to say how useful this is. But regardless, it could be an interesting project for those interested in passive energy generation.
