Scientists at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China have developed a floor-mounted power generation system that converts the mechanical energy of human footsteps into electricity. Interest in such technologies has grown significantly over the past 10–15 years, driven by the search for off-grid energy solutions and the limitations of conventional batteries. Pilot projects have already been showcased at locations including Heathrow Airport in London and at technology exhibitions in Dubai.
According to the researchers, a single human footstep can generate mechanical energy amounting to tens of joules. Since pedestrian movement is nearly continuous in busy public areas, footsteps represent a renewable and largely untapped energy source. This makes them particularly suitable for powering ultra-low-power devices operating at milliwatt levels.
The study examines three types of floor-mounted generators: electromagnetic, piezoelectric and triboelectric. The researchers focus primarily on electromagnetic systems, which operate on the principle of electromagnetic induction. When a person steps on a tile, embedded magnets move relative to coils, generating alternating voltage. In practice, these generators are arranged in arrays of tiles installed in high-traffic areas rather than being used individually.
However, the researchers identified a significant efficiency challenge at the array level. In conventional series connections, electric current flows through all tiles, including those not being stepped on. This leads to voltage drops and additional losses due to diodes and internal resistance, reducing overall system efficiency and stability.
To address this issue, the team proposed a new tile-connection strategy that automatically bypasses inactive modules. The system relies on a fully mechanical switching mechanism that requires no external power supply or complex electronics. Each tile is equipped with three mechanical switches activated directly by foot pressure. When stepped on, the tile connects to the main circuit; once the pressure is removed, it disconnects automatically. As a result, current flows only through active tiles, minimizing energy losses and ensuring that failure of a single module does not compromise the entire system.
Experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of the approach. In a three-tile prototype with only one active module, the new configuration increased output voltage by 33.3 percent compared to a conventional series connection. During demonstration tests, the array produced a peak DC voltage of about 20 volts, sufficient to power a standard resistive load. In real pedestrian trials, the system powered an electronic thermohygrometer for 22 seconds and a Bluetooth-enabled wireless sensor for approximately 20 seconds per walking cycle.
If deployed at scale, such systems could be installed in high-traffic locations such as train stations, airports, shopping malls and office buildings, where they could supply power to sensors, lighting fixtures and other low-energy devices without requiring connection to the electrical grid.
Source: Global Energy Association
