From now on, bridges can be powered & maintained by just allowing the traffic to run on it. Sounds a bit tough to believe, does it not? Well the Researchers at Clarkson University, NY, have come up with a great new way to let bridges be powered by the traffic that runs on them. Researchers have said that they have put years of work into this project & finally achieved the success they were after.
This technology uses wireless bridge sensors which draw energy from the vibrations produced when the traffic runs on top of it. Still sounds unbelievable? Well science is like that sometimes. Anyway according to the researchers of the university,
We have completely eliminated the battery from the equation. Hermetically sealed wireless sensors powered by bridge vibration can remain on the bridge without need of maintenance for decades, providing continuous monitoring of such parameters as ice conditions, traffic flows and health status.
Great news indeed, for all those who need to often do the tough job in maintaining bridges by going out to reach in corners that are hard to access. In fact Clarkson University Assistant Professor Edward Sazonov & his students are already busy integrating the technology with reality, as you can see above. The team has integrated electromagnetic sensors with the devices, which pick up vibrations & convert them into energy. This energy is produced by a generator installed along with the system. So seasonal changes no longer matter: just as long as there is traffic running on the bridge.
