JR East's ambition: electricity generation by train riders

JR East's ambition: electricity generation by train riders

TOKYO, Japan - East Japan Railway Co. will be testing piezoelectric devices (photo) at Tokyo Station on Jan. 19 to produce electricity through vibration power as train riders walk through railway ticket gates. JR East engineers estimate the power generated by one person walking past a piezoelectric floor device laid at a gate will be enough to light up a 100-watt electric bulb by 0.01 second, or 80 minutes of lighting per day. Piezoelectric devices in speakers produce vibration, and sound, when activated by electric current. Using the reverse principle, JR East engineers have been testing the use of vibration on pieozoelectric devices to produce electricity. The tests at Tokyo Station's Yaesu North entrance will run until early March. The amount of electricity produced will be shown on a monitor near the gate. (Kyodo)

  • Product Code
  • ILEA000038308
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  • 2008/1/18 00:00:00
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  • Kyodo / Kyodo News Images
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    JR East begins testing device to generate power using footsteps

    JR East begins testing device to generate power using footsteps

    TOKYO, Japan - A panel placed at JR Tokyo station displays the volume of electricity generated with the vibrations from people stepping on a device to pass through ticket barriers on Oct. 16. East Japan Railway Co. began testing the device embedded in a floor. Using the ''energy of rush hour,'' JR East plans to supply electricity to operate automatic ticket gates or information displays in the future. (Kyodo)