Phone-charging wellies

[*Amy *]

Keep your phone charged and feet dry with Orange’s prototype Power Wellies later this month.

A pair of wellington boots that recharge your mobile phone using heat from your feet will be demonstrated by Orange mobile at Glastonbury Festival later this month.

The prototype Power Wellies have a “power generating sole” which, after 12 hours of continuous wear, creates enough power to charge a mobile phone for one hour

The hotter the wearer’s feet get, the more power is produced. But non-stop dancing isn’t required because simply wearing the wellies is enough to create some power.

Mobile phones connect directly into a small battery hidden inside one of the wellies, Orange added.

Sadly you won’t actually be able to buy a pair of Power Wellies at the Glastonbury festival, which kicks off on 23 June. But Orange might let you have a go…

Link - http://www.mobilechoices.co.uk/orange-powe...nbury-7610.html

[t0paz]

If they're electronics skills are anywhere near as good as their Photoshop skills it'll kill millions!

Plus, I've got my phone muddy before and it broke. Basic design flaw there..

Are we sure this isn't meant for April 1st?

[*Amy *]

I just thought it was a funny article - I read it and it made me smile and wanted to share it.

I'm suprised they didn't claim the more you dance the more your phone will charge : )

x

[Fairies for Change]

Nice find!

[Halcyon]

From an engineers point of view, that's ludicrous. I refuse to believe it's real.

Firstly... you wouldn't do it through heat, as that would require some sort of expensive peltier device on the inside of the boot and a heat sink on the outside (the current is generated by the temperature differential). The intelligent thing to do would be to use some sort of kinetic energy conservation device that generates current due to the movement of your feet as you walk/dance around (exactly the thing they said it wasn't).

Secondly... you would, by default, charge a battery (perhaps positioned in the heel?) that is then used to charge your phone at a later date. This is because, as someone has already mentioned, hanging your phone from your boot is an insane idea. Not only do you run the risk of it getting muddy/wet, but you also risk damaging in by it getting kicked. Also there's the risk of the clasp breaking, and loosing the phone as you walk around (or worse, flinging it out in front of you).

I'd be amazed if anything ever comes of this as a commercial product.

And for that reason, I'm out...

Edited June 7, 2010 by Halcyon

[ukslim]

I asked Isaac Newton for his views on this, and he told me you can't get something for nothing.

However, my feet are often too hot, so if it's generating power from that heat (rather than, say, stealing power from your paces, making walking more difficult) thereby cooling hot feet and generating power at the same time, then that's brilliant. The question then becomes -- do you feel the benefit of that cooling, or does the body just circulate more heat into your feet, away from somewhere else where you need it?

Some actual detail here: http://www.gotwind.org/orange_power_wellies.htm

It actually seems as if the technology might be valid. It does depend on the ground being cooler than your feet. But, far less bullshitty than I first thought.

Edit: although, at 12 hours wear for 1 hour's charge, it ain't got the juice, has it?

Edited June 7, 2010 by ukslim

[superdry]

And for that reason, I'm out...

[ukslim]

Secondly... you would, by default, charge a battery (perhaps positioned in the heel?) that is then used to charge your phone at a later date. This is because, as someone has already mentioned, hanging your phone from your boot is an insane idea. Not only do you run the risk of it getting muddy/wet, but you also risk damaging in by it getting kicked. Also there's the risk of the clasp breaking, and loosing the phone as you walk around (or worse, flinging it out in front of you).

[*Amy *]

I liked the article - I think im a welly addict

I know it's redonculous and would not work commercially - thats why I put good old orange as the subtitle.

I smiled and I shared : )

[ukslim]

Hold on, having re-read the gotwind article, I think I'd misunderstood it, and I'm not more convinced.

"Twelve hours of stomping through the Glastonbury Festival in your Orange Power Wellies will give you enough power to charge a mobile phone for one hour."

So, it's got a battery in it. As you wear them, it trickles charge into the battery. After 12 hours, you plug your phone in, and that's when it charges your phone; for an hour.

An hour's charging usually sets my phone up for a day on standby.

Unless the article is lying, this thing is actually potentially practical.

[HurrahBrother]

remember those traines that glowed when you walked?

I think those were based on kinetic energy (rather like the self winding/charging watches) so some way of using that technology to generate power would help boost the power generated.

[5co77ie]

I can't wait for the back lash against these poorly thought out boots not to mention the upset when lots of people use their phone/mp3 player by actually having it on the boots!

[schmangle-mangle]

Love it, brilliant!