Power of Dancing Dynamos

The energy of human movement could be stored to create electricity according to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

So-called 'Crowd Farm' theory could use the movements of commuters at a train station or dancers in a club to create mechanical energy. This would then be converted into electricity, according to scientists talking to British newspaper The Telegraph.

The technology uses the idea of a dynamo which converts energy of movement into an electrical current, which can then be used in various settings.

One idea is a flooring system made up of blocks that depress under the force of human steps to generate electricity as people walk on the surface.

Scientists told the newspaper that a single step multiplied by that of a large crowd could create enough energy to power a moving train for one second.

The Crowd Farm is an award winning idea which scientists say is too expensive to produce at this stage.

Report by staff writer