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Energy-Generating Floors To Power Subway Displays In Tokyo

Posted by timothy on from the tap-your-foot-to-the-octopus-porn dept.

Jason Sahler writes "When the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) decided to invest in alternative energy sources, it only had to look to its users for the perfect source of energy. Recently the company decided to update their Tokyo Station with a revolutionary new piezoelectric energy generating floor. The system will harvest the kinetic energy generated by crowds to power ticket gates and display systems."

14 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. Theft of services by Zerth · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will I be compensated with lower fares for the reduction of my kinetic & potential energies, or will they just take it as profit?

    1. Re:Theft of services by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I think this is a pretty cool idea. I can imagine a gym being a great place to do something like this: people go there to "waste" energy (tread-mills, various exercise machines). If they can set up their machines to basically be human powered generators, set resistance based on power output, etc, they might be able to convince people they are helping save the environment. Or at least cut down their electricity costs a bit.

      "You just burned 150 calories and generated X amount of electrical energy" OR "Please maintain a speed of above 5 miles per hour or the tv will lose power and shut off"

  2. And what happens when the batteries drain? by CTalkobt · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can just imagine the batteries draining and the users not familair with the system getting off of a train to find there is no way to exit the gates.

    Of course, they'll then stomp their feet in anger - hopefully hard enough to blink the ticket gates functional again.

    Ah - innovation.

    --
    There's a gorilla from Manilla whose a fella that stinks of vanilla and has salmonella.
  3. What a waste by snowraver1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I have a hard time believing that installing thousands of tiny peizoelectric generators in the floor to be either a) better for the environment or b)profitable.

    I would bet that the cost to the environment in producing these special devices, would be greater than the coal that would have been fed into a coal power plant to produce the same amount of power.

    --
    Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. This comment may not be copied in any way including, but not limited to caching.
    1. Re:What a waste by tsalmark · · Score: 5, Funny

      SHHHH. The Green Movement is about feeling good, not consuming less.

  4. Not Just Theft of Services, Theft of Calories by gblackwo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It may be a joke that they are stealing PE and KE, but they really are making it slightly harder to walk around. Thus the user will be doing more work- ie- burning more calories.

  5. I can hear it now... by eqreed · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The ticket will cost 100 yen and 5 jumping jacks."

  6. Re:What a good idea! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're wrong, and to prove it, I'll make a supposition with no factual basis whatsoever: I would bet that the cost to the environment in producing these special devices will be far less than the coal that would have to be fed into a coal power plant to produce the same amount of power.

  7. Re:The Matrix... by Anubis350 · · Score: 3, Funny

    was there ever any doubt that something involving humans living their entire lives hooked up to machines via tentaclelike hoses *wouldnt* come from japan? :-p

    --
    "goodbye and hello, as always" ~Prince Corwin, from Zelazny's Amber series
  8. ALL THE STUPID ELECTRICTY JOKES GO HERE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    You would be shocked by the potential of this technology. It has the capacity to replace large amounts of electrical expenses. Much like you, I'd be revolted if they did not make the best use of this technology!

  9. The most important question is of course..... by TheMadcapZ · · Score: 4, Funny

    How does it hold up against massive quantities of urine?

    1. Re:The most important question is of course..... by spidercoz · · Score: 4, Informative

      it's Japan, not New York

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
  10. Godzilla by OglinTatas · · Score: 3, Insightful

    just imagine how much energy can be harvested this way the next time Godzilla rampages! Energy independence, AND the project will pay for itself in about a 40 minute feature film. Of course, then you have to rebuild it and wait for the next rampage for the new project to pay off...

    --
    More music, fewer hits
  11. Re:Awesome. by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wait wait...I have the solution!

    Install some of the piezo-things under the train and have the train roll over the tiles, creating the energy to levitate it!!!

    Brilliant! ;-)

    --
    People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D