Thursday, 7 November 2013
A US design firm Pedal Power claims to have developed a revolutionary new desk with a built-in cycle, pedalling of which generates electrical power to charge laptops and other electronic devices.
Pedal Power created two such cycling generators that can produce electrical power (Big Rig and Pedal Genny).
The Pedal Genny is more portable and it is a single function machine. It has an optional seat, but the negative point is that it has no work surface.
The Pedal Genny features a flywheel to smooth pedalling, full-size cranks, and an all-steel, hand-built frame.
It has been used for generating electricity, milling grain and pumping water, but can be configured to power most any mechanical device and it requires less than 1 horsepower which is an advantage.
On the other hand, Big Rig is designed for off-grid applications and features a work surface, ergonomic seat for comfort, it has quick adjustments for different riders, a flywheel which smooths pedalling, a wide range of gearing, and an all-steel, hand-built frame, the company claimed.
We can use it to generate 100 watts of electricity, pump 5 gallons of water per minute, grind a variety of grains, as well as operate an air compressor, a hydraulic pump, most any hand-cranked machine, and a variety of small shop tools, the company said.
It has been found to be particularly useful for small scale agricultural applications such as cracking grains, pumping water and churning butter.
It has an efficiency of 97 per cent and the bicycle technology is nearly perfect. So why do we use it only for transportation?
"Bicycle technology can and should be used for many everyday tasks. Using your own power rather than plugging into the grid is not only fun, but helps you understand your energy use and reduce your ecological footprint," the company said.
