One could put several Stirling engines (most efficient engines, see link) under a thin layer of metal in his floor. Then, the heat from the lights and the people walking on the floor could generate kinetic energy that would then be converted into electricity to power the house. This is (coincidentally) similar to what the robots on "The Matrix" do for power.-- apocalyps956, Jun 26 2006 stirlingengine.com FAQ http://www.stirling...ope=public&faq_id=1info on stirling engines [apocalyps956, Jun 26 2006] new uk eco-nightclub http://breakingnews...tricity/2008/07/12/ [piwoslaw, Aug 29 2008] "Human Powered" Night Life http://www.thelohas...ogy-innovation.html [piwoslaw, Aug 29 2008] body heat trainstation http://environment....mplex-in-sweden.htm [piwoslaw, Aug 29 2008] Or we could all just huddle together...-- DrCurry, Jun 26 2006 ...In the dark.-- Texticle, Jun 26 2006 there are at least three stirling engine ideas in the recent 3 right now. i thought that they couldn't scale up efficiently which is why they aren't used.-- tcarson, Jun 26 2006 So you're saying that the temperature differential between a concrete floor and the ambient air in a room, with some people walking around in it every once in a while would be enough power to supply the entire house? And I’m assuming powering a house would probably mean powering an air conditioner, water heater, fridge, lights, television, washing machine or dryer sometimes, and maybe a computer or three?
I just got an idea from the idea of this idea, and I just said idea 5 times including the last 2 times I said idea in this sentence.-- BJS, Jun 26 2006 It's never good to judge the feasibility of your idea based on the science in the Matrix.-- st3f, Jun 26 2006 From "Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics":
"To cover itself, the movie throws in a quick mention that the human energy source powering the machines is combined with a source of fusion. This is like getting on a 747 and having the captain explain in great detail that the plane is rubber band powered, then add that it also has four jet engines. Guess which power source gets it off the ground, duh."-- anaeleus, Jun 26 2006 Becoming batteries like in the matrix is a very scary thing. But we can choose to do it manually now, or wait until we have destroyed all the earths resources and do it then. I wish I had become a scientist instead...-- Cesiii, Jun 26 2006 On an only-vaguely-related note, there are already experimental houses that are so well insulated that all their heating comes from the body heat of the occupants. I believe there's one in Colorado someplace.-- moomintroll, Jun 26 2006 Your humans will get very very cold in the process of running a few light bulbs-- BunsenHoneydew, Jun 28 2006 I think they called this technology a blanket.-- RayfordSteele, Jun 28 2006 Recently I read about a eco-nightclub which harvests the energy its guests produce while dancing, and uses water condensed from their breathe and sweat. See 2 links.
There is also a trainstation in Stockholm which harvests the warm air created by hundreds of passengers rushing to and fro. Link.-- piwoslaw, Aug 29 2008 random, halfbakery