Ambient Energy Harvesting Floors are flooring systems designed to convert mechanical energy from human foot traffic into electrical energy using piezoelectric materials.
The technology addresses the challenge of powering Internet of Things (IoT) devices without requiring wired connections or frequent battery replacements, thereby reducing maintenance costs and environmental impact.
Piezoelectric ceramics, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), are embedded within the floor. When footsteps compress these materials, they generate small electric charges that can be collected and stored in batteries or directly used to power low-power devices like sensors and lighting systems.
Manufacturing involves creating custom flooring tiles with embedded PZT ceramics. The process requires precise alignment and integration to ensure efficient energy conversion while maintaining structural integrity.
The build process includes designing the floor layout, embedding piezoelectric materials, integrating power collection systems, and ensuring seamless installation that does not compromise aesthetics or safety.
Field units draw low hundreds of watts; fabrication is energy-intensive due to vacuum baking.
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