THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A FOOTSTEP ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM USING PIEZOELECTRIC SENSORS

ABSTRACT The aim of this project is to design and construct a footstep energy harvesting system that utilizes piezoelectric sensors to convert mechanical pressure from human footsteps into electrical energy to demonstrate the feasibility of harnessing everyday human movement as a sustainable and renewable micro-power source. This was achieved by using piezoelectric transducers mounted on a wooden platform on which the weight is applied at different frequencies, a full-wave bridge rectifier that converts the output alternating current (AC) from the piezoelectric sensor to direct current (DC), a filter capacitor that smooth out the pulsating DC output by removing unwanted AC ripple components, converting it into a more stable and usable direct current and a battery for energy storage. The results show that the higher the weight and frequency, the higher the voltage, current and power output from the piezoelectric sensors confirming it capability to generate electrical energy from routine walking activity. Although the harvested power is relatively small, it is sufficient for low- energy applications such as LED lighting, small sensors, and portable electronic devices.