Treadmill that charges your mobile as you walk!
This energy exhibit demonstrates how the energy generated by a person walking on treadmill can be converted to electricity to charge mobile phones!

Background

This project was designed and developed for an energy museum and had to have a Wow factor to it. This novel exhibit has a dynamo connected to the manual treadmill belt mechanism. A manual treadmill is one where the belt moves due to human power and there is no motorized power.

The Dynamo genrates power as a person walks on the treadmill! This is then conditioned with a stable voltage regulator and large capacitor, so that fluctuations in voltages are contained and pure regulated 5V DC is produced eventually. This 5V Regulated supply can be used to charge a mobile phone as you walk on the treadmill.

As a person walks on the treadmill, a dynamo converts
kinetic energy into electrical energy.

When threshold of 5V is crossed, your phone starts charging!

This box displays voltage, current produced from the
treadmill as you walk, and regulates voltage to 5V
even if higher voltage is produced!

Dynamo that converts your walking into electrical energy

This project was developed for an NGO which is into building Scientific Exhibitions, Museums and upgrade Science Demonstration infrastructure in schools called Deenabandhu. As part of an Energy themed Science Museum they were setting up this exhibit was developed by Ideas Unlimited, Mysuru.

Deenabandhu is a charitable Non-Profit Organization located in Chamarajnagar. Deenabandhu works towards the education and rehabilitation of orphan, destitute and estranged children. The trust is also into Science, innovation and teaching Science to school children and other activities.

Deenabandhu Trust, Chamarajanagar, Karnataka

The exhibit had to ensure safety of the mobile phone, so has a good voltage regulator inside to ensure at no point of time the voltage crossed 5V DC. Even if generated voltage exceeds 5V, it will ensure phone does not get more than 5V using a Buck regulator.
Treadmill that charges your mobile phone
as you walk on the treadmil and generate energy.

The belt on which person walks on treadmill is connected to a dynamo through a pulley. This pulley is connected to a matching gear ratio gear motor. So when the user walks on it, power is generated. The power generated is connected through a rectifier and a capacitor to smooth out the AC to DC and further regulated to exact 5V before being given to a mobile phone for charging.