From smartphones to smart cars, everything seems to be going digital. We are more reliant on technology and electronics than ever before. Similarly, this technological boom has encompassed the flooring industry as well. Today, we will briefly cover some of the very exciting and amazing flooring technologies around the globe.
Detect Every Step Using Future Shape
Future Shape, a smart floor company, has introduced a product called SensFloor. SensFloor has a very thin layer of sensors installed in the textiles. A radio signal is sent to the central data warehouse whenever someone touches the floor, and this feature gives it potential to be installed in places like nursing homes and other such buildings. It is already being used in a nursing home of France, where the nurse gets an immediate alert if someone touches the floor (potentially falls on the floor from the bed).
Walk And Generate Power Using Powerleap And Pavegen
How about getting free electricity while you are walking down to the kitchen for a glass of water? This concept has been under discussion for quite some time now, and a company called PowerLeap has materialized it to some extent. This USA based company was founded by Elizabeth Redmond, and it has the potential to make a mark. It uses piezoelectric modules to fabricate intelligent flooring models. Currently, it can power an “illuminating” floor if you jump on it.
Although PowerLeap’s technology is a bit limited, Pavegen, a UK based company, introduced the concept of electricity generation by walking to the next “step”. The concept is the brainchild of a couple of AP environmental science students from Bloomington, Indiana. These tiles have been installed outside the London’s Heathrow Airport. Each of these tiles has a sensor for detecting movement while producing energy by changing the magnetic field.
Although it involves lots of intricate and complex circuitry, it can generate an impressive 7 watts of power every time someone steps on the tile. The power generated is then stored in the batteries that can be used as per your requirements. This technology can be used as an off-grid power source for cities. However, it costs a whopping $1,600 (1,250 pounds) to cover one square meter.
Although there have been some impressive advancements in the field already, there is still a lot of room for improvement. The industry of smart floors is ripe and up for the grabs, and it is just a matter of time when we will see a massive revolutionary change in this niche.
Have any other smart floor technology that we should cover? Let us know in the comments’ section below!