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International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Futures

CAAD Futures 2015: Computer-Aided Architectural Design Futures. The Next City - New Technologies and the Future of the Built Environment pp 154–171Cite as

Pedestrian as Generator: Implementing a Stand-Alone Piezo Power Generating Device in the Urban Context

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Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 527))

Abstract

During the past decade the implementation of energy harvesting sensor technology, at micro scale, has occurred due to the rapid growth of low-powered device usage, such as mobile phones, laptops, and the development of LED lights significantly increasing in efficiency. Studies have demonstrated that the ability of this technology to harvest energy from the human body, such as footfalls, can be used in the generation of electricity. Piezoelectric sensor technology has been investigated for this purpose, due to its significant advancement in the efficiency and its application in a variety of designs. This research investigates how pedestrians can become generators of their own service, through the use of piezoelectric sensor technology, in the form of safety lighting. Proposed urban design scenarios explore the opportunity implementing a piezo power-generating device along high traffic pedestrians pathways in the City of Melbourne (Australia), evaluating real time and storage options, considering harvesting the energy during the day and using it at night time when needed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Elena Vanz & Justyna Karakiewicz

Authors
  1. Elena Vanz
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  2. Justyna Karakiewicz
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Elena Vanz or Justyna Karakiewicz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Gabriela Celani

  2. University of São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil

    David Moreno Sperling

  3. University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Juarez Moara Santos Franco

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Vanz, E., Karakiewicz, J. (2015). Pedestrian as Generator: Implementing a Stand-Alone Piezo Power Generating Device in the Urban Context. In: Celani, G., Sperling, D., Franco, J. (eds) Computer-Aided Architectural Design Futures. The Next City - New Technologies and the Future of the Built Environment. CAAD Futures 2015. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 527. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47386-3_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47386-3_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-47385-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-47386-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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