University of Trento Develops Energy Harvesting System for Bicycle Electronics Using Thermal and Solar Energy
Engineers from the University of Trento in Italy are developing a system to capture heat energy from braking to power bike electronics. This system uses thermal energy generated by brakes and solar energy collected via photovoltaic panels.
It aims to generate sufficient electricity for low-power, wireless actuators on bicycle components without the need for traditional batteries. The thermal generator transfers heat from the disc brake pads to create electrical energy, which is routed to various bike components.
The design is adaptable to different bicycle brakes and minimizes friction, providing an advantage over conventional dynamo systems. The research also explores using the harvested energy for telemetry systems on mountain bikes, leveraging smartphone GPS for data collection. The prototype is compact and efficient, indicating potential for a market-ready product.
