M2E Power makes motion-powered batteries

We all know that you can generate electricity from a whirling wind turbine, so why not from a moving person? Well, actually you can. A US power generation company has raised enough money to commercialise battery technology that converts motion to electrical energy.

M2E Power announced on Friday that it’s totted up around £4 million in funding from OVP Venture Partners and other backers. The investment will be used to expand research and development and build initial products using the motion-energy concept.

The company's plan is to apply the Faraday Principle -- you know the one where putting a conductor near a magnetic field produces voltage -- to 21st century applications. In tests, M2E Power has found that two hours of motion -- what an average person produces -- is enough for 30 minutes to one hour of talk time on a mobile phone.

First on the products list is creating a D-size battery for the military and then consumer versions, such as a battery charger for a cell phone or digital music player that would provide a backup charge to an existing device with a cable.

Later, the company plans to adapt the technology to make larger batteries for renewable energy sources like wave power, wind turbines and other larger renewable energy applications, as well as for use in hybrid batteries for cars.

Within a few years, M2E Power hopes to have mobile electronic appliances with specially designed motion-to-energy batteries, according to Regan Rowe, director of business development. The batteries are larger than those you find today but they’ll never need to be plugged in. Plus, the charging process will be less taxing on batteries, making them last twice as long.

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