Figure 3
Suspended-load backpack for generating energy. The pack frame is fixed to the body, but the load is mounted on a load plate and is suspended by springs (red) from the frame (blue) (A). During walking, the load is free to ride up and down on bushings constrained to vertical rods (B). Electricity generation is accomplished by attaching a toothed rack to the load plate, which (when moving up and down during walking) meshes with a pinion gear mounted on a geared dc motor, functioning as a generator. The motor is rigidly attached to the backpack frame [12]. (Reprinted with permission from Science Incorporated.)