Media Release

Udupi, Jun 17: Students Shripada Rao, Sathwik, Shreesha, and Shrikrishna Hebbar under the guidance of Akshatha Rao L and Dr Ganesh Srinivasa Shetty from the department of electronics and communication engineering at Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institute of Technology and Management (SMVITM), Bantakal, have successfully developed an innovative Smart Energy Harvesting System that generates electrical power from human footsteps. The project aims to utilize everyday human movement as a renewable energy source, contributing to sustainable energy solutions and smart infrastructure development.

The project received sponsorship from the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) and was successfully demonstrated as part of the students’ research and innovation activities.

The developed system converts the mechanical pressure generated during walking into electrical energy, which can be stored and utilized for low-power applications. To improve efficiency, the setup also incorporates piezoelectric sensors that generate additional electrical energy when subjected to pressure.

The technology has significant potential for implementation in high-footfall locations such as railway stations, bus terminals, shopping malls, educational campuses, staircases, and pedestrian walkways. The harvested energy can be used to power IoT devices, smart sensors, emergency lighting systems, and other low-power electronic equipment, thereby enhancing energy efficiency in public spaces.