Footstep Power Generation Using Piezoelectric Materials: A Renewable Approach for Smart Infrastructure

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Year : 2026 | Volume : 16 | 01 | Page :
    By

    Dommeti Venkata Shyam Surya,

  • Dr. Valluri Dhana Raj,

  1. Student, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Bonam Venkata Chalamayya Engineering College, Autonomous, Odalarevu, Andhra Pradesh, India
  2. Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Bonam Venkata Chalamayya Engineering College, Autonomous, Odalarevu, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

The rapid depletion of fossil fuels and the increasing global demand for sustainable energy have necessitated the development of decentralized energy harvesting systems. This paper presents a comprehensive study on footstep-based power generation using piezoelectric materials as a viable renewable energy solution for smart infrastructure. The proposed system converts mechanical energy generated from human locomotion into electrical energy using optimized piezoelectric transducer arrays integrated beneath floor tiles. The study covers material selection, theoretical modeling, and system architecture, including rectification, voltage regulation, and energy storage. A hybrid series-parallel configuration of piezoelectric sensors is utilized to enhance output efficiency and improve impedance matching. The system further integrates embedded control for real-time energy monitoring and load management. Applications in smart cities, including IoT sensor powering, pedestrian monitoring, and rural lighting systems, are discussed along with practical performance estimates for high-footfall scenarios. Despite limitations such as low energy density and material fatigue, advancements in piezoelectric materials, power electronics, and storage technologies significantly improve feasibility. The study concludes that piezoelectric footstep energy harvesting is an effective supplementary energy source for sustainable and self-aware infrastructure.

Keywords: Piezoelectricity, Energy harvesting, Smart cities, Embedded systems, IoT, PZT, PVDF, Renewable energy.

How to cite this article:
Dommeti Venkata Shyam Surya, Dr. Valluri Dhana Raj. Footstep Power Generation Using Piezoelectric Materials: A Renewable Approach for Smart Infrastructure. Trends in Electrical Engineering. 2026; 16(01):-.
How to cite this URL:
Dommeti Venkata Shyam Surya, Dr. Valluri Dhana Raj. Footstep Power Generation Using Piezoelectric Materials: A Renewable Approach for Smart Infrastructure. Trends in Electrical Engineering. 2026; 16(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/tee/article=2026/view=240257


References

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[3] Pu, Z., et al. (2024). Design of power generating tiles. In Proceedings of IEEE ICPHM 2024.

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[7] Zhao, J., & You, Z. (2014). A shoe-embedded piezoelectric energy harvester for wearable sensors. Sensors, 14(7), 12497-12510.

[8] Xie, L., & Cai, M. (2015). An in-shoe harvester with motion magnification for scavenging energy from human foot strike. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 20(6), 3264- 3268.


Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 16
01
Received 02/04/2026
Accepted 16/04/2026
Published 17/04/2026
Publication Time 15 Days


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