Soon defence personnel could get electricity generated from their shoes, clothes and vehicles to energise handheld electronic devices.
“The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is conducting research on generating electricity from the shoes and clothes the soldiers wear and the vehicles they drive, using nanotechnology,” said R Muralidharan, director, Solid State Physics Laboratory, DRDO. Muralidharan was in the city to inaugurate a two-day seminar on ‘Nanotechnology for Energy, Environment and Health’ at PSG Institutions.
Muralidharan said, “The fabric will be coated with piezoelectric material and their shoes will be fitted with it to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. Currently, it is in the preliminary stage. We have developed a prototype at the laboratory level and we are trying to improve the efficiency. It will take two to three years to turn it into a product.”
“In the case of military vehicles, we are already using thermo-electric material to remove excess heat. Now we are trying to use it to generate electricity. The energy harvested using these methods could be used to power various devices which soldiers carry,” he added. “Besides, we want to demonstrate an infrared detector by the end of next year.” He said, “A lot can be done in the energy sector using nanotechnology. It can help raise the efficiency of solar panels and bring down their cost from the current `15 to16 per unit.”
However, there are some challenges. “Recently, scientists from the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences as well as the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences pointed out the hazards of working with nanoparticles and nanomaterials,” he said. “Nanoparticles can penetrate the skin, enter the bloodstream, and also spread to the brain. Fortunately, they did not find it to be in any way harmful. The particles did not cause organ malfunction or any defect.”
“People also think nanotubes have similarities with asbestos. But very little is known about the risk posed by nanotubes. There may not be any health risk. But it needs to be thoroughly investigated. So industrial level production of nanomaterials needs to be carefully monitored,” he cautioned.
