Shoes power gadgets

JAPANESE boffins have worked out a way to charge portable gadgets just by walking.

Walking is an ancient method of movement that was developed before the Segway and Smart Car and might be completely foreign to many geeks who buy portable gadgets.

However now the Telecoms giant NTT claim that there is now a good reason to revert to the older method of getting about because it IS developing shoes that generate electricity as you walk.

The shoes have a small generator attached to water-filled soles. Each step puts pressure on the soles, causing the water to spin a small turbine and generate power.

Apparently the shoes currently generate 1.2 watts of electricity which is enough to run an MP3 player forever as long as you keep walking.

The next plan is to improve the power-generating capacity to three watts, which is the amount of electricity needed to power a mobile phone.

The shoes will be available in 2010. µ

L'Inq
AP