Walk Down To Electric Avenue: New Piezoelectric-Charge Shoes Generate Electricity From Exercise

Energy is all around, just waiting to be harvested.  Thanks to the invention of one 15-year-old boy, power can be derived from something as simple as taking a stroll.

As reported by themindunleashed.com, Angelo Casimiro of the Phillippines has spent the last several years working on a device that will generate power from sensors in your shoes while walking.  The device operates by using piezoelectricity, where the compression of certain materials produces an A/C current.  The sensors for your shoes gather the electricity as your heel treads on the piezoelectric materials, and generate enough charge to power a phone or iPod.

Angelo has not only become a finalist in the Google Science Fair, but has also made his plans for the power-producing shoes open-source.  This may help improve the design of the device, which Angelo says is fully operational but not currently in mass production.  However, anyone at home can attempt this useful experiment.  Thanks to all the walking it'll require, you may even grow more powerful physically as you generate more power electrically.

DIY mobile power supply!