Human Power Production and Energy Harvesting

Abstract

This entry presents a holistic examination of the problem of harvesting energy from the human body. With the advent of the industrial revolution, in modern times, there is less and less need for physical human work; at the same time, motion is essential for health. Thus, sports and physical leisure activities have seen a dramatic increase in popularity. Until several decades ago, energy consumption was not an issue, at least in developed countries, but in recent years, it has become more and more evident that energy resources are finite and that there are limits to how much anthropic pressure the environment can sustain; one evident outcome is global warming. The repurposing of human energy also has psychological benefits, making people socially responsible and transforming otherwise wasted potential into a rewarding activity. Thus, on a small scale, over time, it has become evident that re-using and saving energy are vital. Humans can produce a large amount of energy through physical work, but over the past few decades, technologies have been developed to store and reuse energy that would otherwise be wasted. Some interesting applications and a critical review of the problem, which is linked to human metabolism and sport, are presented.

From Gym to Grid: Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19 on Saudi Gym-Goers’ Willingness to Utilize Human Kinetic Energy for Sustainable Energy Generation

“…In addition to our research, previous studies indicated that wearable and stationary HKE technologies tend to stimulate discussion about sustainability while making observers more enthusiastic about renewable energy use [3,47]. While the overall energy capacity of such solutions is not comparable to conventional methods of renewable energy generation, the former can promote energy efficiency indirectly by providing yet another alternative to fossil fuels [48]. At the time of this research, the topic of HKE generation remains underexplored in regard to its technological, social, and sustainability aspects.…”

Polymer-Infused Textile Thermoelectrics for Power Generation

“…Studies reveal that the human body releases a substantial amount of energy, ranging from 60 to 180 W. 3−5 If an efficient wearable thermoelectric generator (TEG) can convert even a small fraction (less than 0.1%) of this energy, it could supply enough power to seamlessly integrate wearable devices into smart clothing. 6,7 The efficiency of a TE material, known as the figure of merit (zT) is defined as zT = σS 2 T/κ. The measurements of Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (σ), and thermal conductivity (κ) at an absolute temperature T are essential to evaluate the zT.…”

“…In contrast, thermoelectric (TE) devices, which operate based on the Seebeck effect, show promise for independent energy harvesting by converting waste heat into electricity. , The ongoing advancements in miniaturized electronics with minimal power requirements have spurred researchers to explore the development of wearable thermoelectric devices. Studies reveal that the human body releases a substantial amount of energy, ranging from 60 to 180 W. − If an efficient wearable thermoelectric generator (TEG) can convert even a small fraction (less than 0.1%) of this energy, it could supply enough power to seamlessly integrate wearable devices into smart clothing. , The efficiency of a TE material, known as the figure of merit ( zT ) is defined as zT = σ S 2 T /κ. The measurements of Seebeck coefficient ( S ), electrical conductivity (σ), and thermal conductivity (κ) at an absolute temperature T are essential to evaluate the zT .…”

El cuerpo humano como fuente de energía de sistemas electrónicos portables o vestibles

“…La energía que no se consume se libera en forma de calor que se intercambia entre el cuerpo y el ambiente, y otra parte de la energía se libera a través de la respiración y el sudor. Depen diendo de la actividad, el cuerpo puede disipar entre 60 W y 180 W [5]. Ese calor liberado puede apro vecharse para transformarlo en energía eléctrica mediante unos recolectores conocidos como senso res Seebeck o termopares.…”