flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Turning friction into power

Game Changers

Turning friction into power

Research on piezoelectricity moves closer to practical applications for infrastructure and buildings.


By John Caulfield, Senior Editor | January 18, 2017

Georgia Tech Research Institute has a contract to install tiles embedded with piezoelectric material into the “vapor trail” of the Visitors Center at the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Fla. The activated tiles act as a kind of keyboard that shows the planet and different aspects of NASA’s mission statement. Courtesy Formations Studio.

Piezoelectricity, an electrical charge that aggregates in certain materials in response to applied mechanical stress, was discovered in the 19th century. In recent times, the technology has found its way into electronic devices and medical sensors. There’s growing interest in using the technology to generate energy from roadway traffic (see related story).

PZ technology is also being studied for its potential for harvesting and redistributing energy in buildings.

The Aerospace Transportation and Advanced Science Lab at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Atlanta, is investigating indoor applications of PZ technology, not only as an alternative energy source but also for making buildings smarter by transmitting data wirelessly for analyzing behavior and traffic.

GTRI is working with Emory Healthcare to develop a PZ-powered carpet tile for a flooring system for hospitals that would detect when a patient slips and falls and send out a wireless alert to hospital staff. Every year in U.S. hospitals, between 700,000 and 1 million people have a fall: it’s a tremendous liability headache for hospital administrators. This project, says GTRI Research Scientist Ilan Stern, PhD, is in the prototype/focus-group stage. GTRI is building a lab-scale model into its simulation lab.

 

Dr. Ilan Stern of the Georgia Tech Research Institute stands inside a photo booth at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The booth is activated by electricity generated by foot traffic on the floor mat made from piezoelectric materials. Stern foresees this technology being used for crowd control and security purposes. Courtesy Georgia Tech Research Institute.

 

GTRI also has a contract through the Delaware North Corporation to install 40,000 sf of PZ-enabled pavers along the Visitors Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Stern explains that the pavers—designed by Dr. Francisco Valdes and Paula Gomez and manufactured by Formations Studio—have glass inserts that act as a kind of interactive keyboard; when energized, the system allows visitors to see visualizations of NASA’s mission statements for space exploration, energy and sustainability, education and wildlife. Stern says it will be operational by next August.

GTRI recently received a $100,000 grant authorized by the Wells Fargo Foundation to evaluate how PZ technology might improve bank security. “The PZ sensors are built into the flooring system, which would act as a tracking and monitoring device to identify where there are people walking in restricted areas,” says Stern. The piezoelectric system would keep working even if power to the bank were cut off.

For the past year or so, passengers and visitors at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have been getting their pictures taken in a photo booth energized by foot traffic. When the booth reaches a certain level of PZ, a camera is triggered, snapping a shot that can be uploaded to social media. Stern sees the day when airports will use PZ-enabled pads and flooring for crowd management and security.

Stern acknowledges that applications for federal grants for PZ research under the new administration will have to be rebranded from their past emphasis on efficiency and sustainability. “While we’re not changing our research, we’re changing our goals to infrastructure and manufacturing,” he says.

Related Stories

Cladding and Facade Systems | Apr 5, 2023

Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands

HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile that acts as a water collector and evaporator. 

Transportation & Parking Facilities | Mar 23, 2023

Amsterdam debuts underwater bicycle parking facility that can accommodate over 4,000 bikes

In February, Amsterdam saw the opening of a new underwater bicycle parking facility. Located in the heart of the city—next to Amsterdam Central Station and under the river IJ (Amsterdam’s waterfront)—the facility, dubbed IJboulevard, has parking spots for over 4,000 bicycles, freeing up space on the street.

AEC Innovators | Mar 3, 2023

Meet BD+C's 2023 AEC Innovators

More than ever, AEC firms and their suppliers are wedding innovation with corporate responsibility. How they are addressing climate change usually gets the headlines. But as the following articles in our AEC Innovators package chronicle, companies are attempting to make an impact as well on the integrity of their supply chains, the reduction of construction waste, and answering calls for more affordable housing and homeless shelters. As often as not, these companies are partnering with municipalities and nonprofit interest groups to help guide their production.

AEC Tech Innovation | Jan 24, 2023

ConTech investment weathered last year’s shaky economy

Investment in construction technology (ConTech) hit $5.38 billion last year (less than a 1% falloff compared to 2021) from 228 deals, according to CEMEX Ventures’ estimates. The firm announced its top 50 construction technology startups of 2023.

Game Changers | Oct 4, 2019

Call to action: BD+C is looking for the industry’s next game-changing projects

Is your firm working on a project that could be the next advance in design, engineering, technology, or construction? If so, send us information about it for possible inclusion in our upcoming “Game Changers” feature.

Game Changers | Jan 17, 2019

The coming bonanza in marijuana facilities

AEC firms are rushing to fill orders for cannabis facilities in the 33 states where the sale of marijuana is now legal.

Game Changers | Jan 16, 2019

In the age of Amazon there's nowhere to go but up

Multistory warehouses could help speed ecommerce delivery in urban centers.

Game Changers | Jan 15, 2019

IPD super teams hit jackpot for clients

Meet the firms achieving double-digit returns using true, shared-risk, multi-party integrated project delivery.

Game Changers | Jan 9, 2019

Developers invest in mega amenities to draw top-notch tenants

As the competition for highly coveted tenants and patrons heats up, developers take the amenities arms race to new extremes.

Game Changers | Jan 17, 2018

Is farming ready to grow up?

Armed with the latest agri-tech and millions in VC funding, vertical farming startups believe they’ve cracked the code on indoor farming.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021