Japan’s Sumitomo Rubber and Kansai University develop technology to generate electric power from the rotation of a tire.
The research, led by Prof. Hiroshi Tani of Kansai University, found that by installing an energy harvester inside a tire, static electricity can be converted to clean energy.
This energy harvester takes advantage of a type of static electricity called frictional charging, formed each time a tire’s footprint deforms as it rotates along the road.
Sumitomo says the technology holds great potential for practical applications such as a power source for many automotive digital tools.
Sumitomo says it is confident its latest research will lead to practical applications for this new technology as a power source for sensors used in tire-pressure monitoring systems and other automotive devices, contributing to the creation of services using digital tools without the need for batteries.
Sumitomo is the world’s fifth-largest tire manufacturer with 11 global production facilities.
