Self-powered equipment

Self-powered equipment is a term used for electrical appliances which can be powered by human muscle power as an alternative to conventional sources of electricity such as primary batteries and the power grid

Such devices contain electrical generators or an induction system to recharge their batteries. Separate crank operated generators are now available to recharge battery powered portable electronic devices such as cell phones. Others, such as mechanically powered flashlights, have the generator integrated within the device itself. A promising alternative to rechargeable batteries for electricity storage is supercapacitors, now being used in some devices such as the mechanically powered flashlight shown here.

Other devices store the energy mechanically, instead of in batteries. Clockwork radios have a mainspring which is wound up by a crank, and then turns a generator to power the radio.

Uses

Self powered devices are useful as emergency equipment, when natural disaster, war or civil disturbance make regular power supplies unavailable. They have also been seen as economical for use in poor countries, where batteries may be expensive and mains power unreliable or unavailable. They are also an environmentally preferable alternative to the use of disposable batteries, which are a very wasteful source of energy and introduce toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the environment.

Examples

* Clockwork radio
* Mechanically powered flashlight
* Solar-powered flashlight
* Batteryless radio