Project Ecostep
Specialized floor tiles that turn everyday foot traffic into measurable renewable energy.
Focus: Sustainability & Kinetic Energy
Video Trailer
Project Ecostep — Thesis Trailer
Video coming soon — add a YouTube or Vimeo embed URL tovideo_url in the thesis markdown file.
Abstract
Ecostep is a floor-based kinetic energy harvesting system designed to make sustainable energy generation a visible, participatory act. Pressure-sensitive tiles are deployed in high-traffic campus corridors; piezoelectric elements beneath the surface convert footfall pressure into electrical charge. Real-time generation metrics are displayed on ambient screens, creating immediate feedback that connects individual movement to collective environmental impact.
Design Challenge
Renewable energy infrastructure is typically invisible and distant. Ecostep challenges this by placing energy generation underfoot—literally in the path of everyday activity. The project asks: can making energy production tangible and immediate shift attitudes toward sustainable behavior?
Technical Approach
Custom-fabricated tiles house piezoelectric transducer arrays connected to an energy management circuit and data logger. A companion dashboard aggregates step count, watts generated, and CO₂ equivalent offset. Visual displays use real-time data to gamify participation.
Outcomes
A prototype was installed in the CSUEB student union corridor for a two-week trial. Average daily generation reached 12 Wh across peak foot traffic hours. 78% of surveyed passers-by reported increased awareness of personal energy impact.
Process Documentation
[Add circuit diagrams, tile fabrication photos, dashboard mockups here]