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Demand for human-energy harvesters like Donelan's knee brace and Rome's backpack is increasing, thanks in part to the proliferation of small electronics like cell phones and handheld GPS units, especially in the military.
"A soldier with a 24-hour mission [might have to] carry nearly 30 pounds of batteries with him," Donelan says. "They have to power everything from GPS to communications to night vision." In addition, Donelan says that his knee brace has potential in medical markets: it could augment a paralyzed limb or power a prosthetic. "You could take a healthy limb and use it to power the injured limb," he says. |