Engineers want to Harness Electric Power from Women’s Boobs
Breasts as a source of electric power?Ok! You think I’m pulling your leg right? Women’s breasts, a source of energy? No WAY! Well hear me out here!
A woman from San Francisco – Adrienne, wondered if her natural D cup impediments to her love of sport could be put to some other good use, “they will fulfill their intended function for about three of the 70 years that I have them” she says. Fair point if you think about it!
So she thought why not “put her girls to work”? Why not indeed? Since human powered devices are emerging across the globe. Thus began a journey of discovery for Adrienne.
The physics of breast motion has been researched since the mid 1980’s; and LaJean Lawson, a former professor of exercise science at Oregon State University had discovered a D cup can move as much as 35 inches during exercise!
This motion would be enough to power an mp3 player or smartphone! However smaller cup sizes would generate less motion thus less power.
Other solutions could incorporate solar panels or mini rotary generators. These rotary generators are used in “Lightening packs” backpacks used on long hikes that can generate up to 7 watts of energy (enough to power small LED lights). But these options seemed all too cumbersome. Then Adrienne discovered the work of Professor Zhong Lin Wan of Georgia State University.
Breasts as a source of electric power (Source: Giphy)
Prof. Wan is developing a fabric made of nanowires 1/1,000th the width of a human hair. They rub together in the fabric converting friction energy into an electrical charge.
Unbelievably, Prof. Wan believes this technology will be available within the next 5 years!
The big catch? Washing. The distance between nanowires has to be at a constant for them to work and washing may distort the fabric.
So it seems Professor Wan has 5 years to perfect his fabric and when he does? Well think of the possibilities. Adrienne will be able to listen to her smartphone while she exercises and us lesser mortals could have our Oculus glasses and Apple watches powered by our frantic daily lives!
