IIT Mandi's new prototype generates electricity from body heat; charges phones, laptops

Using thermoelectricity, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi have created materials that efficiently convert heat into electricity. Research on these materials could provide far-reaching implications for the renewable energy sector, as these could be used in a variety of applications, from powering small devices to providing a sustainable form of energy. In recent times, solar power has been on the rise but other lesser-known alternative sources are equally promising.

Thermoelectricity

Thermoelectric materials convert waste heat into electrical energy. An electrical voltage is generated by making one end hot while the other end cold, creating a temperature gradient.

Professor Ajay Soni of IIT-Mandi studies materials that convert heat-to-electricity but unlike solar power, this is a completely different technology. Neither very large equipment nor extremely hot objects, such as the Sun, are needed for the process. Several advanced materials have been developed that convert waste heat into electricity, which can power small home appliances and automobiles.

Applications

Soni explains that many electronic gadgets can be recharged by human heat. A study by IIT-researchers claims that industrial processes and energy generation produce a lot of waste heat into the atmosphere. In order to make use of the waste heat generated by these processes, Indian scientists are developing environmental-friendly materials.

With the new prototype module, mobile phones can be charged while in the pocket or on the palm by absorbing heat from the human body. Similarly, a laptop can be recharged by simply resting it on a lap, without any requirement of a charger, socket, or switch. These devices will use heat emitted from the human body to generate electricity. Each device will have a module set to convert the body’s heat into electricity, according to an IANS report.

Besides mobile phones and laptops, human heat can also charge wristwatches and earphones. A further advantage of the module developed by the team is that it can effectively convert heat from devices other than the human body into electricity. For an example, car bonnets can generate energy when heated up.

Many such equipment that radiate heat can be used to convert energy into electricity. Currently, it is wasted as heat, contributing significantly to global warming.

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