The requested URL /ePOS?form=cat.html&store=109&cat=1299 was not found on this server.skip to main content Energy-harvesting backpack to lighten load for U.S. soldiers Lei Zuo, associate professor and John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow of Mechanical Engineering United States Army soldiers on 72-hour missions sometimes carry seven types of batteries weighing up to 16 pounds in order to operate night vision goggles, communications, and GPS equipment. But by using innovative technology designed by Virginia Tech researchers, soldiers will soon have a lighter, more energy-efficient load to bear. An Army grant of more than $344,000 has been awarded to Lei Zuo, associate professor and John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow of Mechanical Engineering, to create a backpack energy harvester. The technology, which is expected to weigh about one pound with a harvesting capacity of 5-20 watts, will lead to lighter packs for military members, decreased supply chain requirements, and fewer muscular and skeletal injuries caused by heavy packs, improving the overall health of the soldier.

“By using mechanical motion rectifier (MMR), a technology converting oscillatory vibration motion into unidirectional rotation and scaling it down, we will work to create a device that sits on the frame of a soldier’s pack and harvests energy to recharge batteries as the soldier walks,” said Zuo. “This work builds on my previous work in energy harvesting.” In the same way that ocean waves drive the MMR as they approach and depart an ocean energy-harvesting buoy, the backpack technology works to gather power as a soldier’s pack moves up and down as the soldier walks, with the multidirectional motion of walking converted into the unidirectional rotation of a generator. “Because the generator rotates at a steady speed with higher efficiency, it provides higher energy conversion efficiency and enhanced reliability over packs with conventional rack pinion systems,” Zuo said. “More important, the MMR motion will change the dynamics of a suspended backpack and enable it to harvest more electricity with less human metabolic cost.”

The harvester will be developed and tested at Virginia Tech during the first year of the project and integrated into the backpack for testing and demonstrations at the Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center in the second year. Written by Rosaire Bushey Experience a dynamic collaboration between an innovative voice ensemble and self-conducted orchestra Virginia Tech’s Governor’s Fellow gains insight into state governmentHOME  >    >  ) Back to Virginia Tech Hokies Shop Specialty Gear Baby Clothing Boots Camouflage Cell Phone Cases Gnomes Helmets Can Coolers Scrubs Snapback Hats Vintage Clothing Shop by SportBaseball GearBasketball Gear Football Gear Virginia Tech Backpack and Sport Bags Shop the best online collection of Virginia Tech Sport Bags at the official Hokies Fan Shop. Fans everywhere can find licensed Virginia Tech Hokies Luggage from our assortment of Va Tech Tote Bags, Duffel and Laptop Bags.

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For lady fans, our official Virginia Tech Purses and Satchels are the best way to show up at the tailgate with unique team pride. sports shop, so pick one up and represent your Hokies wherever you go. Starting conversations, learning about community Week of Engagement (WOE) promotes and advocates for social justice through education, service and dialogue in our communities. WOE was launched in the fall 2012 to encourage critical thought and action by Tech students and to engage student leaders in developing innovative ways to start conversations about poverty and social change. Want to get involved in planning or leading one of our events? Have a social justice issue in the New River Valley that you think needs attention? We’d love for you to join us! Please contact us at engage@vt.edu. Our 2016 events are TBD! Check back in October for more info! Experience Ut Prosim: 2015 events Volunteer Fair: opportunity to talk with community organizations looking for volunteers and found many different ways to get engaged in the New River Valley!

Habitat for Humanity New River Valley: assisted on a building site in the Christiansburg area, constructing an affordable home for a family in need in the New River Valley. Feeding America of Southwest Virginia: helped Feeding America achieve their mission of eliminating hunger in the region by sorting and packaging donations of food for distribution. 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: supported this inaugural event sponsored by the Roanoke Fire Department by assisting with event logistics or volunteering to participate in the stair climb (or both!) Learn more about previous years’ events, and read a blog post on our 2013 event from Engagement Program Associate, Lucy Adams, here. Know your neighbors: 2014 events Who are our neighbors? Do they all have a voice? This year, we explored the theme “Know your Neighbors” with events focusing on care of elders, mental healthcare, women’s issues, and more. Participants learned about social justice issues are affecting our community.

Farm service day: assisted farmers with the harvest of potatoes and turnips for donation to local food resource agencies! Service Day at Warm Hearth Village: played bingo with the residents. Community panel: lunch with community organizations in the New River Valley. Representatives from the following organizations joined: the Blacksburg Children’s Museum, Micah’s Backpack, NRV Cares, Warm Hearth, the YMCA at Virginia Tech. Getting started with service: a discussion of how to get involved and engaged in your community! Mental Health America workshop: this workshop focused on anxiety and depression, and what we can do to lead mentally healthy lives. Mental health care in our society today: a discussion of mental health care - what works, what doesn’t, and what changes need to be made? BUILT: board game designed to start discussions about the social impacts of development in the New River Valley. Women’s Center tour: an introduction to the resources available at the Virginia Tech Women’s Center.