Test model printed in FabLab - Goats are corralled without fixed fences and cows generate electricity with the help of technology now studied at Tampere University.

Photo of a cow.

Harvesting energy form the movement of cows

Energy harvesting, the conversion of ambient energy into electrical energy, is now commonly used in industrial settings to power standalone electronic systems in hard-to-reach locations where conventional batteries and cables cannot be used. Marie Curie Research Fellow David Blažević is studying how to harness animal motion to generate electricity. The results could not only benefit mischievous goats but also help increase biological diversity.

“I am still weighing the options for collecting motion capture data from animals, but what I need is a small device that can be mounted on a collar or attached to a leg. The Fablab on the Hervanta campus offers a full suite of equipment for building my prototypes,” Blažević says.

An interesting story can be read in its entirety on the website of the University of Tampere 

and one on a dedicated blog: Harvesting energy form the movement of cows

Photo: Riitta Niiranen