Keeping your phone’s battery alive is a constant battle. Also, the addiction to a smartphone doesn’t allow you to go exercise and stay fit. How about charging phone while keeping yourself fit?
Almost four years ago, two 19-year-olds found a new, incredibly innovative solution- charging while walking.
Mohak Bhalla and Anand Gangadharan decided to put a physics theory they had been taught to use in a project for a science exhibition by the physics department. Their first prototype was the “Walkie Mobi Charger”. This was a device that charges your mobile phone using the kinetic energy produced by walking.
They claimed that the charger can charge your phone 20% faster than the standard charger.
While talking to The Better India team Anand said, “When we were brainstorming for the project we came across stories of how a country abroad used electricity generated by the footsteps of commuters to light up the work stations and platforms. It motivated us to think—why don’t we use a concept like this that could help individuals generate electricity for themselves, while also helping them to stay fit by walking?”
This revolutionary idea could be an innovative and inspirational way of generating electricity while reducing the carbon footprint of individuals.
When asked why mobile phones only? Mohak replied, “When we were building it four years ago, we noticed how people from all age groups, especially the youth, were hooked on to their phones 24×7. We wanted to make a device that could be marketed in the long run, a product that would have some actual use. So we thought, why not give them an incentive while keeping them fit and increasing their love for the outdoors?”
How did it all start?
The journey began from their school Mount Carmel, under the mentorship and guidance of Physics teacher. The duo’s family supported them financially and backed them to develop the required prototype.
They both kept going even after the rejection of two prototypes. And finally, after three months of hard work they had a small prototype of the model ready, a device that can be strapped onto both legs. The generated energy is then stored in a battery which then you can use to charge your phone.
Anand cleared that their first charger was wholly made of scrap materials and the point is to keep the device less expensive so that everyone could buy it.
The device equipped with dynamo and a buffer mechanism operates on the principle of Electromagnetic Induction. The buffer mechanism rotates the dynamo to produce the electricity needed to charge the mobile phone, with the compression and relaxation caused by the heels of the user’s feet. When the user walks, heels compress and relax, as they touch the ground and lift. Simply put, the device uses the energy generated by this pattern to charge your phone.
When they tested it, the electricity output generated from both feet was higher than the general output.
Now, they are working on it further to make new version wireless, its advanced circuits will be able to charge phones as well as it functions as a power bank. That means it will continue charging your phone even when you stopped walking. Also, it will charge the other devices and even a laptop too.
This can be an excellent way of charging a phone, and at the same time it will reduce individual’s carbon footprint, keep them fit.
