Would the pain and agony of shovelling snow be less if you knew you were charging your cell phone at the same time as you shivered?

Behrad Khamesee, a professor in the Waterloo's Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, along with his former graduate student Pratik Patel, have developed new technology that would allow a cell phone to be charged by the energy created when operating asnowblower or while shoveling snow.

This unique form of multi-tasking is possible through a 3D multi-directional energy harvester Khamesee says is the first of its kind.

"What makes it different is that it's a single unit unlike other multi units that have been developed," says Khamesee.  Unlike similar devices, Khamesee's patent-pending technology can harvest energy that comes from any direction by converting it into linear motion. Most existing harvesters can only harvest energy in one direction, he adds.

Read more on the Waterloo Stories page.