Electric Backpack — 'Power walking' takes on a whole new meaning

Old wine in new bottles is what I thought when I read last Friday's report in Science magazine about an innovative backpack that transforms into electricity the energy generated by its contents' up–and–down motion.

The researchers used springs to fasten their tricked–out backpack to a carrying frame.

The vertical motion of the load inside the backpack then powered a small generator, producing electricity that could be used directly or stored in a capacitor or battery.

The so–called "pinion–gear" generator works like some "self–winding" wristwatches, transforming the energy of oscillating motion into electricity.

The "suspended load" device was developed by Dr. Lawrence C. Rome of the University of Pennsylvania and the electricity–generating frame currently weighs 10 pounds.

Rome is now working to lighten it so it will weigh only a few pounds more than a standard backpack.

The heavier the load carried and/or the faster the gait, the more power generated.

Initial tests employed loads ranging from 40 to 80 lbs.

The backpack won't power your refrigerator: it currently produces 7 watts of electricity, enough to run an MP3 player, cellphone, handheld GPS system or PDA.

Work on the power–generating backpack began when Rome and his group realized from treadmill studies that a person's hips — along with whatever happens to be on the hips, such as a backpack — move up and down 2 to 3 inches with each step.

Why am I not more excited about this invention?

Because it's been many years since I first read about shoes which, with each step, would produce energy that could be stored or used on the fly.

Up to now the best such systems have only generated a few hundredths of a watt, whereas most portable electronic devices require about one watt.

But hey — that's the whole point of batteries, isn't it?

You store energy in them and use it when you need it?

A few hundredths of a watt multiplied a few hundred times by walking or running all of a sudden becomes more than one watt, if I do the math correctly.

So what's the big hold–up here?

We should all be powering our own computers, phones and iPods simply by existing.

The shoe company — yo, Nike and Adidas and Reebok, you listening? — that puts some wood behind this arrow and creates stylish shoes that power your cool hand–held devices will rule the world.

Ask Prince if you can buy the rights to "New Power Generation" and use it as the theme of your ad campaign.

In fact, you could do worse than to hire Prince as your spokesman.

Doubt that he'd do it, though.

Never hurts to ask — you'd be surprised how often people say "yes" to the most unlikely requests.

Maybe because it's me making them.

Ha.

"If you want it here it is, come and get it" might be a back–up in case Prince doesn't return your calls.

I'm reminded of a wonderful joke from one of Johnny Carson's monologues:

"What do you get when you cross a penguin and a William Morris agent?"

"A penguin who doesn't return your phone calls."

Well, I still think it's funny.

But then, you know how very easily I'm amused....

Here's a link to a video of someone wearing the backpack and producing electricity.

After watching the show I couldn't help but wonder: do android hikers dream of electric backpacks?