Researchers from Northwestern University in Illinois have improved the concept of energy capture from motion to make it smaller and more efficient. Their result is Ampy, which is about half the size of an average smartphone and can be strapped to an arm, leg, or carried around in a bag where it will charge via a new linear inductor system. The Ampy harvests energy and stores it in an internal lithium ion battery for later use charging devices via a USB port. Ampy’s creators state that 1 hour of cycling, 30 minutes of jogging, or 10,000 steps of walking in a day will produce enough of a charge to add three hours of life to a smartphone battery. Ampy has 1,000 mAh of storage. The researchers believe the scale of Ampy will allow for new possibilities such as being integrated into smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other wearables. Ampy weighs 3.53 oz and measures 3 inches square and .75 inches thick.
Source: Ampy
