Intriguing tech idea for future disaster situations

[pegkerr]

Here is an article about a clever solution to the sort of problems we had with Katrina: a backpack that first responders can carry. The person wearing it generates electricity which is stored in the generator, just by walking. A cool idea.

What also caught my eye was a throw away line halfway through the article. hamsterwoman, you'd love this. Apparently, a hamster running on a wheel will generate enough energy to run a cell phone. That's what the cell phone companies need to start telephone service again: give everyone a hamster!

You are invited to leave a comment offering a suggestion that would help avoid the sorts of problems we saw with Katrina, the next time we face a disaster. What would you do differently? Be creative!

Comments

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Or better yet, a pair of them, so they can spell each other and you don't have to worry about interruptions in service, and they can breed and keep the system going indefinitely.

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

Wow. I wonder whether one could harness the energy of small dogs and children this way too. Could probably power a whole house on that.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Yes; some kind of jumpsuit that could capture the energy of little arms and legs, and feed it into a belt-pack battery that would power their toys and the rest of the household.