I first wrote about the plans of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to trial the PowerWalk, a kinetic energy harvesting device that can help power the various devices a soldier will need for the mission last 30 May. Now we get an update the plans for trials of the PowerWalk will go as planned next year.

The PowerWalk is being developed by Bionic Power and this is a device that is strapped to the upper and lower parts of the leg. It is lightweight enough and can adjust to the gait of the soldiers that they will not even mind wearing it. As to harvesting power, the PowerWalk stores the energy generated when the soldier moves, especially when walking and running. With the power harvested, it can then used to power devices such as radios, navigational aids, and sighting devices, eliminating or minimising the need to carry more batteries that and lessen the load of soldiers.

"Just by walking, Soldiers could generate power," said Noel Soto, a project engineer at the Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, or NSRDEC as quoted in a news report at the U.S.  Army website. "We are converting the movement of the knees when you walk into useful power."

The same news report it mentions studies that a present day warfighter carries around 6 to 12 pounds of batteries for a 72-hour mission. Carrying heavy loads can cause injuries especially for prolonged periods and it is imperative that they look into areas where they can make weight reductions that can help improve mission performance and still be able to provide power to devices just like before.

The goal is to have a device that weighs one pound and be able to generate 3.5 watts and a two pound device that can deliver 10 watts. 

Apart from that power generation, it is also an augmentation device for the soldier as it can serve to support the soldier when going downhill, acting as a brake that can prevent sudden movements on the slope. Too bad, it is not exactly an exoskeleton that can augment the soldier in load carrying though it would be ideal too.