DESIGN AND DEVELOP A PIEZOELECTRIC POWER GENERATOR AND ENERGY HARVESTER UTILIZING HUMAN FOOTSTEPS

The development of sustainable energy technologies has encouraged the exploration of alternative methods for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. One promising approach is piezoelectric energy harvesting, which utilizes the pressure generated by human footsteps to produce electrical output. This research aimed to design and developed a piezoelectric power generator prototype and evaluate its voltage output under different human-weight conditions. An experimental research design was employed, involving five participants with body weights ranging from 56 kg to 62 kg. Each participant performed footstep pressure tests on the prototype at a consistent walking pace, with voltage measurements recorded using a digital multimeter across three one-minute trials. The results showed an increasing trend in voltage output as participant weight increased, with average outputs ranging from 10.2 V at 56 kg to 16.3 V at 62 kg. Linear regression analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between participant weight and voltage output, with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.9815. The resulting regression equation was y = 0.9991x – 45.368. These findings demonstrate the potential of the developed prototype to generate electrical voltage from human footsteps. Further improvements in material selection, circuit design, energy storage, and prototype durability are recommended to enhance its performance and practical application in sustainable energy systems.