Generating power from walking? IIT-M scholars are at it!

Strap: Propose technique to enhance output of piezoelectric materials

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, December 9

Researchers of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, have proposed a technique to enhance the power output of piezoelectric materials.

In this, researchers have numerically studied piezoelectric materials that interconvert mechanical energy and electrical energy and have proposed a new arrangement to enhance the electrical output of these materials when subjected to stress.

The results of their work have been published in the journal “Engineering Reports”. The research paper has been co-authored by researcher scholars Raj Kiran, Sourav Sharma, along with Dr Anuruddh Kumar, IIT Mandi alumnus currently working at Hanyang University, North Korea, under the supervision of Dr Rajeev Kumar and Dr Rahul Vaish, associate professors, School of Engineering.

“Piezoelectric materials can generate electrical energy when a force is applied on them, and are thus extremely useful,” said Dr Rajeev Kumar.

“Such materials can be used in floor tiles to generate electrical energy from human walking, or on roads, where the weight from the vehicles can power road lights and signals. However, currently the electrical energy produced by these materials is very low, which limits their application in real life situations,” he added.

“We have developed a technique known as graded poling to enhance the power output of piezoelectric materials by more than 100 times,” said Dr Rahul Vaish.