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Laptop power cranks up a gear

Put the pedal to the... er... laptop

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There’s never really been a reliable way of losing weight and saving the planet - and certaintly not one that works while you're sat working at your desk. Until now - a Spanish Polytechnic has invented a laptop that runs on a miniature bicycle.

cycle_laptop_2
No need for the gym after work now

The Polytechnic of Madrid’s design means a cycling action by the user is turned into electricity, which powers the laptop via a voltage convertor. The designers claim that the rig lets the laptop user cyclist adopt a flexible rhythm, hopefully without having to pedal too hard.

The institution's ‘pedal pusher’ laptop was the winning design in an Intel-sponsored competition to create a device capable of powering laptops using only renewable and sustainable energy sources. The Polytechnic won €10,000 (£7200/$14,800) in scientific research funding - and all the cycle clips they could carry.

Other runners-up in the competition included a hydrogen-based design by the Polytechnic of Milan, which uses hydrogen fuel-cells to power a laptop. Runners-up won a free laptop, though presumably not one operated by cyclists.

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Latest Comments
Anonymous Coward

Excellent!!

I would like to power my G4 PowerBook with a treadle powered device. All it would take is maybe 20-30 minutes every half day. Add a second pedal for the treadle and the action would be more rhythmic, natural and efficient. I'm in -- where can I get one???

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Kiddy Power

Stuff the idea of Jocks powering the grid, there are not enough of them.

I have said for years that the best source of renewable energy is small children, and you wont even have to pay them!!

Just build some big hamster type wheels with attached generators, and they will play in them all day, generating megawatts each!!!

Now all I have to do is figure out how to convert megawatts into todger pulling units for the Reg staff to take the idea seriously.

(That's British Standard Todger Pulling Units for all you yanks with your teeny todgers).

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from instructables

Instructions for the Soylent Green charger:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bicyle-Power-for-Your-Television%2c-Laptop%2c-or-Cell-/

About $300 in cost (not including bike), 300 watt output (healthy young pwer source, 1/2 horsePower).

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