How Our Phyiscal Excercise Could Be Our Electric Power

Just how bad is the energy crisis? If it is so bad, then maybe we should simply stay at home, and conserve what little power we have. Of course, we would still need exercise. Yet the energy that we use in exercise seems quite wasted. I mean, we may burn fat, but can't we use it to power something?

One gym owner, Rita Wong, has harnessed human power for her California Fitness Club in Hong Kong. She has hooked up 13 Stairmasters so that the power generated by the exercise machines will create about 300 watts of power. This power is then stored in batteries for later use. Unfortunately, this really isn't enough to keep the club going, but it shaves off a little money on the electric bill.

Human powered inventions are nothing new. Scientists refer to any invention that relies on the byproduct of human activities as "parasitic" generators.

For example, a nightclub in Rotterdam plans to outfit its dance floor with devices that convert vibrations into electricity. So when a dancer gets down on the floor, he or she is literally creating his or her own illumination. Unfortunately, like the Stairmasters in Hong Kong, the energy created isn't worth the price it would cost to get it.

Vibrations created by the human step also creates a lot of unharnessed energy potential. There is a London firm that wants to harness the power of many steps in a crowded area, like at a subway station. The military has spent millions for "heel strike batteries" designed to produce power where you walk, so you will always have a charged battery for your cell phone.

Personally, I can't believe it has taken us so long to seriously think about developing this technology. I have heard of watches that are powered by the movement of one's wrist. Considering how much movement I do during the day, I wouldn't mind it being converted into energy. Even if it was only a little bit of energy, it would save me money on my power bill.