Hamster Power! Future Energy Sources for Gadgets?
“Can a rodent generate enough electricity to power a light by running on its wheel?” asks Analise, an eighth grader from Albuquerque, NM. This question started the wheels turning for the staff of otherpower.com. The staff quickly determined that most rodents can make between 40 and 60 rpm on the exercise wheel. After a period of intense experimentation, otherpower.com staff created a Hamster charged battery that runs a LED nightlight. As our technology increases, it places greater demands on our natural resources. We need to be on the lookout for alternate ways to both generate and conserve energy. Creating devices that are fun for our pets to use is an excellent way to accomplish this.
The otherpower.com staff found that a hamster could generate enough power to charge an AA battery by just doing what it loves to do - run on a wheel. Admittedly having your hamster recharge your AA batteries is not going to save you a lot of money. However, ask yourself how much energy could a German Shepherd or Australian Cattle Dog generate by running on a tread mill? Most dogs are under exercised because their owners are so busy. The dog is bored and frustrated while their owners feel guilty. Some dog experts suggest training dogs to run on treadmills instead of waiting on their owners. This is already happening in many homes around the world. Imagine how much power could be generated by your dog getting the exercise that he deserves. This is yet another area where devices designed to capture this energy will bring savings to the average person.
Treadmills, exercise bikes, nautilus machines are features found in many homes. Simple attachments or design modifications will turn these exercise machines into generators. The energy gained from a good workout could be used to either recharge batteries or even to pour power into portable generators. Both the batteries and generators, if used by a large percentage of the population, can reduce our dependence on oil. Like our pets, we need to exercise to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. I’m sure that you’re like me in wanting to know that all of that sweating is serving some other purpose than just my pain. I might even be encouraged to do that extra mile on my exercise bike, so I could use my digital camera longer.
