Food Living Outside Play Technology Workshop

Electricity Generating Footwear

by ASCAS on April 4, 2014

Table of Contents

Electricity Generating Footwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Electricity Generating Footwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Science Fair Project - Coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: The Concept Behind (Understanding The Key Principles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Parts And Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 4: Measuring Your Sole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 5: Find And Cut An Ideal Material (Sheet/ Plate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 6: Grinding Holes On PVC Pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 7: Gluing The Piezoelectric Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 8: Soldering The Piezos Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 9: Building A Bridge Diode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 10: Adding Foams Pushers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 11: Observation And Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 12: Installing The Insole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 13: Adding A Powerbank + Soldering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 14: Conclusion/ Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 15: Future Prototypes - Developing Better Ones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
 Author:ASCAS ASCAS.com
Hello There! I'm Angelo. I'm 15 and I love to build projects during my pastime!I plan to become an engineer someday and work for a company who innovates
new products. ___________________ My #1 inspiration is my grandpa! He's one of the reasons why I make so many projects. He was a great engineer and
the best grandfather that a geek can ever have. When I was in elementary, he used to pick me up from school. We shop at hardware stores before we head
home, then build projects together at their garage. When he passed away, I continued my hobby in honor of him. ___________________ Most of my projects
focus on Electronics, Woodworking and Robotics. I've been making projects since I was, now I that I have earned a lot of knowledge through my experience.
I now compete in the annual "National Robotics Competition". I earned last year's championship title. I'll be one of our country's representative in this year's
International Robotics Olympiad (which will be held at Beijing).

Intro: Electricity Generating Footwear

Did you know that you can produce electricity by just walking? Here's a little science experiment that will show you a little secret on making insoles that can charge USB
devices! The challenge is to make a slip-on insole that can produce enough electricity to charge batteries/ USB devices.

Google Fair 2014:

This is my entry for Google's 2014 science fair. Please support us by hitting the like and share button on our YouTube video. The contest is YouTube based so getting a
fair amount of likes and viewers would help a lot in getting us through the competition.

Video Coming Soon! Expect an update within the week :)

Development of The Project:

The power generating soles are one of my first concept projects. I started my first prototype last five years ago although it was a very primitive, compared to my current
design. My old prototype had two piezo-discs sandwiched on a TO-3 plastic spacer. It produced a fair amounts of current, enough to charge a Nokia 3310.

5 years later, I came back with the idea of using the sandwiched piezo setup but this time with a charge collector + PowerBank. So I thought, why not add 2 more pairs?
After all, more is better.

Concept Behind The Project:

Piezoelectricity was present ever since mid-18th century. Piezoelectricity is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials (such as crystals, certain
ceramics in response to applied mechanical stress. This sounds familiar! Yes they do, you can actually find those piezo elements in your old/ outdated earphones from
the 90's.

Why Not Use Dynamos?

As much as possible, I tried to avoid using dynamos. Yes dynamos produce more electricity but it will feel like you've stuffed a rock in your shoe. Don't forget dynamos
will create a lot of noise.

Any Practical Uses?

As funny as it sounds, charging a phone with your shoe isn't really joke. Who knows maybe someday shoe companies like Nike could use these insole generators to
power fitness chips (inside shoes) that would sync to your phone wirelessly. This, you don't have to charge your "smart shoes" just to sync them with your phone.

Step 1: Science Fair Project - Coverage

I'm using Google's science fair format. This is my instructable version. It's written in a less formal manner so that hobbyist could have a better understanding over this
topic.

A Question That Bothers Me A Lot:

Why not use traditional renewable energy sources? Yes I know piezoelectricty is not as well develop as of those solar powered devices but as a curious being, I am open
to discovering potential energy sources. Yes, footwear generators may sound crazy and ridiculous but there's more than what meets the eye! These thin insole
generators have enough power to supply low current devices.
______________________________________________________
Problem:
1.) Coal power is the most common energy source used in the Philippines (also in the world). For the past decade, our country has been tapping to renewable energy
although it’s not rendered free and its price continuously changes (Philippine Star, January 2014). Most undeveloped areas, specially provinces, have no access to
electricity.

My science fair project over the past years were mostly about renewable energy. My first science fair project (@3rd grade) was a

My goal is to find a new source of renewable energy, something that does not depend on wind, water or sunlight. I did some random research and I came through a

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Research:
This is to be accomplished by using piezoelectric materials. Piezoelectricity, also called the piezoelectric effect, is the ability of certain materials to generate an alternating
current voltage when actuated.Certain ceramics, Rochelle salts, and various other solids exhibit this effect. For example, (Pb[ZrxTi1?x]O3 where,0?x?1), also called PZT,
will generate measurable electricity when their structure is deformed by about 0.1% of the original dimension(International AAAI Conference on Social Media and
Weblogs, 2012). In this project, the generated electricity on a specific time will be recorded and determine if it would be enough to completely charge a Li-ion battery or a
high capacity capacitor.

Method/ Testing And Redesign:

Results:

Conclusion/ Report:

Bibliography/ References:

Glossary/ Terms That You Will Encounter:

Piezo Electricity - is the ability of certain materials to generate an AC (alternating current) voltage when subjected to mechanical stress or vibration, or to vibrate
when subjected to an AC voltage, or both. The most common piezoelectric material is quartz. Certain ceramics, Rochelle salts, and various other solids also
exhibit this effect.
Actuated - cause a machine to operate/ work/ generate.
Piezo - shorthand for piezoelectric
AC Current - the flow of electric charge periodically reverses direction. Piezo elements produce these currents.
DC Current - the flow of electric charge is only in one direction. Batteries produce these currents
Bridge Diode - usually is composed of four rectifier diodes that filter AC currents and turn them into DC currents.
Piezo Disc/ Element/ Transducer - they are all the same, it refers to the discrete component that produces current when actuated. They are also known as
ceramic transducers and are usually found in outdated pairs of earpiece.

Step 2: The Concept Behind (Understanding The Key Principles)

Step 3: Parts And Materials

Parts/ Materials:
- Cheap/ Generic USB Powerbank
- Piezoelectric Transducers (6x)
- 1N4007 Rectifier Diodes (4x)
- Hookup Wire (at least 12")
- Old Pair Of Shoes
- Contact Adhesive

Tools & Equipment:

- Digital Multimeter
- Multitool (w/ pliers)
- Rotary Tool
______________________________________________________
Optional:
- 100nF Mylar Capacitor (for testing)
- Hoop & Loop Fastener (Velcro)
- LED Indicators (for testing)
- Superglue (for fixing wires)
- Smartphone Sport Strap
- 5v Switching Regulator (w/ supercap)

Alternatives: (since not all can afford them)

- PowerBank > Old phone batteries + Recycled 5v Inverter
- Peizo Transducers > A pair of old & outdated earpiece
- Rotary tool > Hot Nail (for melting plastic)
- Multitool > A pair of pliers will do

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Step 4: Measuring Your Sole
Get the size and shape of your shoe's insole then get a pair of heavy-duty shears/ snips and carefully cut the PVC material. The plate will act as the primary mount of the
piezoelectric discs/ elements.

Remember: Thickness matter, you need at least 2-5mm. If your material is too thick, the piezo elements will break due to too much flexing. If your material is too thin, the
piezo element won't bend at all thus converting less power.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Step 5: Find And Cut An Ideal Material (Sheet/ Plate)
Now surround the PVC plate with three piezo discs. How do I know where the center is? The "center" that I'm referring to is area where all the pressure is withdrawn by
your foot, your sole.

After getting a fix preview of the setup, get a pencil and trace the piezo discs. Finally use your compass to draw smaller circles, about 2mm smaller in radius. The 2mm
spacing will act as your margin.

What material should I use?

Based on my design, I needed a plate that is 2-5mm thick, lightweight, stiff and can endure a lot of flexing. Metals are too stiff while carbon fiber is too thin. After playing
around with a bunch of materials, I've found out that PVC fits best in my application.

Were did you get the PVC material?

PVC materials are all around us. You can find them in your local hardware store but in the form of pipes. I got mine from our excess supply of PVC pipes when our house
was built. Recycling means free $$$ for me! :)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Step 6: Grinding Holes On PVC Pads
In this step, grinding is required to bore/ drill round holes. Since I don't have large drill bits (as large as the marked area), I've thought of way to cleanly cut the holes and
that's by using my handy rotary tool.

If you don't have a rotary tool, you can still cleanly cut the plastic by doing it "the old fashioned way", by heating an iron nail and melting the plastic.

Step 7: Gluing The Piezoelectric Elements

These piezo discs must endure a lot of flexing since you'll be stepping on them repeatedly! Never use superglue, if you do, the moment you step on your insole the piezo
discs will snap off the PVC pad. Instead, use those quick setting "contact adhesives". Their rubbery characteristic makes them ideal for this project since they stretch
whenever they are bent.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Step 8: Soldering The Piezos Together
Solder all piezo elements together in parallel. Don't solder them in series because you'll need more current than voltage and those piezoelectric discs will cancel each
other's power output when not actuated at the same time.

Piezo elements produce AC currents. Unlike DC currents, you can't just tap in the line. since AC currents are always alternating polarities. Just like power generators,
whether it may be solar or petrol, you can't just tap directly to the powerlines without aligning the AC wave's phase otherwise the generator will cancel each other. (Ex.
Negative meets Positive - Positive meets Negative). This infers that parallel works best for our project.

Improvements:
Through this process of experimentation, I've realized that even if they are hooked in parallel the piezoelectric elements can still cancel each other's output off (when not
actuated simultaneously). This leads to conclusion that you'll need to add one bridge diode per piezo element/ disc.

Step 9: Building A Bridge Diode

Peizoelectric elements produce AC when subjected to mechanical stress. Unfortunately, USB devices need DC and not-AC. A bridge diode is required to filter and
convert AC to DC.

Schematic:
Just follow the schematic diagram above. Solder the peizo discs to your bridge diode. Remember AC has no polarity, you can invert the wires either way. The load
(shown as a resistor) represents your appliance.

Recycling:
CFL bulbs contain electronic ballasts, each ballast contains at least six to eight rectifier diodes. Those diodes are compatible with our project. Please be careful in
disassembling CFL bulbs, I'm not liable if any of you get injured.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Step 10: Adding Foams Pushers
Now glue small a small piece of foam on the very center of each piezo disc. These foams will act as pushers. These foams will squeeze the piezo discs inwards (like
sandwitches) while walking.

Step 11: Observation And Testing

Finally, we are going to test the validity of or theory. Start by getting a digital-tester and switch it to the 2 digit DC range. Remember, piezo elements produce a short burst
of current the moment you push them so adding a 100nF capacitor should make the readings much more readable.

My volt meter displayed:

Pressing By Hand = 15.03 volts (20mA)
Walking By Foot = 18.53 volts (60mA)
Running By Foot = 27.01 volts (100mA)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Step 12: Installing The Insole
Slip the insole generator between the shoe and the insole.

Step 13: Adding A Powerbank + Soldering

The insole generator peaks a voltage of 28 volts, the current may be small but the voltage is enough to damage the powebank's 5v charger (circuitry). I won't be using the
7805 since it's quite old and inefficient. Right now, my insole generator is soldered directly to my powerbank's lithium battery. It works but it's not completely not safe. This
is just a prototype so expect another Instructable tutorial/ write-up next week.

UPDATE: Say goodbye to the huge bulging powerbanks! I have a newer version of the project, the powerbank is now integrated with the insole. I also added a charge
collector circuit.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
Step 14: Conclusion/ Results

Step 15: Future Prototypes - Developing Better Ones

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
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by wale2414 ProfMuggs by WilliamBottini Insoles by (Photos) by
Creativeman usbdevice

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Comments
12 comments Add Comment

efahrenholz says: May 6, 2014. 1:06 AM REPLY

I'm curious, since one side is somewhat elevated, how did you feel after the two hours? Any back pain or stress in the ball of the foot? Does it feel more
spring like?

I certainly like the concept, piezos are definitely difficult to make work.

ASCAS says: May 6, 2014. 1:32 AM REPLY

Surprisingly, it feel comfortable. The foams are squishy enough to make the insole feel like a gel slip-on. When jogging a 10-20% energy loss is expected
due to the gaps of energy production. Jogging for at least for 3-4 hours should charge the battery full. A walk should take 5-6 hours to charge a 400mAh
full, due to the 40% energy loss.

Don't forget that these peizo elements produce more energy when jumping. The weight of the user/ subject also affects the amount of energy produced.
The heavier the subject, the higher the current.

tofu911 says: May 6, 2014. 12:02 AM REPLY

I love that you built this as a learning experience and are constantly updating it. Anyways I favorited it so I can check on the updates. Good luck on the
google contest.

ASCAS says: May 6, 2014. 1:38 AM REPLY

Thank you! I deeply appreciate it!

Honus says: May 5, 2014. 10:50 PM REPLY

Very neat project- looking forward to the update! Have you figured out the total time (relative to say total running time) of the current output since it's not
constant? In other words, how long would it take to charge a 400mAh battery?

ASCAS says: May 5, 2014. 11:21 PM REPLY

Thanks! The insoles produce electricity when you both press and release your foot against it. I ran a test by playing basketball/ jogging outside. Of
course I drained the powerbank first. I stopped playing after two hours and the powerbank was able to charged my phone for 12 minutes.

Antzy Carmasaic says: May 6, 2014. 12:54 AM REPLY

Great project as always! I agree with Honus that a slightly more quantitative measurements will be more informative for us as well as science fair.
Maybe instead of charging your phone for 12 minutes, you could connect it to a simple circuit of 5 LEDs which takes 20mA each, so 100mA in total.
Then measure how long it stays brightly lit? Or something like that...

ASCAS says: May 6, 2014. 1:37 AM REPLY

Great idea! I'll buy a super capacitor and measure the charge collected over a period of time.

msalem3 says: May 5, 2014. 11:51 PM REPLY

where i can get foam?? please

ASCAS says: May 6, 2014. 12:01 AM REPLY

Any type of packaging foam should do, as long as it's squishy. I got mine from the bubble pack of my iPhone's case.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/
 jbrown120 says: May 5, 2014. 10:36 PM REPLY
How durable would these be? I work in a wharehouse and wear steel toes, I go through insoles about every 3 weeks. It's not a question of weight either
(5'11" 130lbs) it's a lot of use and stress

ASCAS says: May 5, 2014. 11:04 PM REPLY

It's durable enough. I weigh 121lbs (@5'8"). I tested the project by playing 2 hours of basketball, it was able to withstand all the jumping and running. I'm
not sure it's durable for day-to-day use. It all depends on the piezo element's thickness.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electricity-Generating-Footwear/