Intellectual property group Tekcapital (LON:TEK) has filed patent applications for a wearable device that could harvest energy from everyday human activities, such as walking.
The patents for the technology, which has been dubbed Moje, have been filed in the US and under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
The portable device would incorporate a novel, dual-mode, low frequency mechanism that generates a current that could be used to potentially recharge a variety of mobile electronic devices.
These new patent applications are in addition to two previously acquired intellectual properties, announced on 29 June 2015, which are being applied to capture energy from subliminal, in-shoe devices during walking or running; however, Moje and its underlying patent applications represent an independent intellectual property to the piezoelectric electro-mechanical device that was acquired in June 2015 from the University of Michigan, and addresses energy harvesting in a significantly different way.
The directors believe that energy harvesting from human motion to power mobile devices is poised to become a major new product category. Should Tekcapital's new energy harvesting technology be successfully commercialised, then the directors believe that it will make a meaningful contribution to shareholder value for the company.
This patent application will extend the company's intellectual property estate to 28 properties, either controlled under exclusive licence or via ownership.
"We have seen an exponential rise in the market for smart phones in recent years and we believe wearable technology, which is at an early stage in terms of mainstream adoption, is likely to experience similar growth trends. However, one of the key barriers to widespread adoption is clearly battery life," observed Clifford Gross, executive chairman of Tekcapital.
"Pending successful testing and commercialisation, Tekcapital's Moje could significantly extend battery life though harvesting energy from everyday human activities such as walking, hiking, running and jumping, giving users the power to recharge a battery whilst on the move, which would otherwise run out of power," he added.