Human+Power

= **Human Power** =



**Overview of Human Power Technology ** Human power is nothing new. In fact, some of the earliest tools used by humans are considered to be human powered. You could even argue that a hammer uses human power to drive down a nail. The quest to alleviate the energy used by humans in conventional applications is the driving force behind innovation. The onset of the steam engine, all the way up to modern day electronics, is an example of how we've used human power as a stepping stone to improve the processes around us. - Wikipedia defines Human Power in this way:
 * []Human power ** is [|work] or [|energy] that is produced from the [|human body] . It can also refer to the [|power] (rate of work per time) of a human. Power comes primarily from [|muscles], but [|body heat] is also used to do work like warming [|shelters] , food, or other humans.

Today, human power has new meaning as it relates to the field of alternative energy. Our view of human power has fluctuated, moving from a more primitive viewpoint, then transitional, and finally as a companion energy source that can be integrated into modern forms of technology. The beauty of such a technology is that it is open and free to own, casting new and an often ingenious outlook on the world around you. Every time you ride your bicycle, open a door, exercise in the gym, or exert energy in any way you have the potential to crank out energy. If so inclined, you could start seeing energy production everywhere you look, all you have to do is find a clever way to advantage of it.

**Current Trends in Human Power**

Human power should be seen as a companion energy source, instead of an outright ambitious replacement to nuclear or natural gas. Human power is limited by a few things, most importantly by physics and energy storage capabilities. Physics, because there is only so much kinetic energy that is produced by a human. In other words, the wattage output by a single human, even an extremely fit one, is limited and cannot be improved upon. The other limitation is the ability to store the energy we can produce from human power. Energy storage plagues many renewable alternative energy sources, since we haven't been able to produce a battery or storage device efficient enough to supply on demand power in the manner we consume it.



Currently, human power is being taken advantage of in places like gyms. Imagine working on your cardio, getting your heart rate up on the cycling machine, the whole time powering the light bulbs above your head. This concept is already in place at different gym locales around the world.

The picture on the right is a venture in Hong Kong, sponsored by 24 hour fitness, that uses this technology. The president of California Fitness, Steve Clinefelter, gives the following insight into this technology: "One person has the ability of producing 50 watts of electricity per hour when exercising at a moderate pace...If a person spends one hour per day running on the machine, he/she could generate 18.2 kilowatts of electricity and prevent 4,380 liters of CO2 released per year."

Here's a link to a video explaining the venture:Excess energy is stored in a battery for later use. []

Human power has other applications as well, that you don't necessarily have to be breaking a sweat to take advantage of. In the Netherlands, a railway stations has implemented a revolving door that churns out energy as travelers pass through. The revolving door, on the left, powers LED lights in the ceiling of the station. The revolving door cranks out about 4,600 kilowatts of power each year. This is a great example of a passive cloaked, human powered, electric generation system. The technology is integrated into existing infrastructure so that there is no extra effort or participation needed from the user.

The revolving door brings up an important distinction in human power, between active and passive participation. Active participation, as in the gym example above, alerts the user of how they are contributing to energy conservation. This helps in adoption of the technology, by offering a green incentive to the participants for using it. Since there is an ongoing, social conscious, effort to "Go Green" right now, this model fits in perfectly for the user seeking this type of affirmation.

While going green is socially admirable, it is often associated with additional effort on the part of the consumer. For this reason, passive participation is a complimentary alternative to this concept. With passive participation the technology blends in with its surrounding environment, into the tools and mechanisms we already use on a daily basis. The whole process requiring little to no extra effort on the part of the user. Passive integration achieves the energy conservation goal, by utilizing the kinetic energy already exerted in a given application. This whole process makes adoption a no brainer.

**Future of Human Power**

Human Power will be a companion energy source in the future. The technology will make a statement first at the base of the pyramid, powering rural villages and townships, before becoming mainstream. Local ASU student John Houghtelin is currently working on prototypes for generators that take advantage of naturally occurring kinetic energy, notably a generator that uses the motion found in the ocean to generate electricity. Applications for rural communities are feasible since their access to large electric grids is limited.  Towards the top of the pyramid, applications are being crafted that can help charge small devices such as smart-phones and mp3 players. Engineers at Princeton are currently working on a flexible chip that generates power every time the chip is bent. Possible uses for this chip include embedding them into the soles of your shoes so that every time you take a step, the chip flexes, and a minute amount of energy is captured. Here's the link: []

Human power takes advantage of the way humans interact with all aspects of their environment, making the possibilities endless. At the extreme end, the technology could be embedded in everything around us, literally. The great part is that human power is clean, renewable, and plentiful with a global population in the billions. 

**ASU Focus Area**

- ALT 360 Renewable Energy Technologies - ALT 494 Topic: Design and Analysis of Alternative Energy Systems - EGR 230 Fluid Mechanics - EGR 445 Mechanical Engineering Systems Pre-requisites: MAT 266 PHY 112 CHM 113 EGR 221 EGR 301 or 302