Category:Human energy

Small electric motors are used for convenience and compact design, even though human power would be quite adequate. Electric tools allow the arms to be dedicated to control, and even foot-powered stationary machines limit the operator's movement. However, many people could benefit from having exercise integrated into their daily life. Bicycle commuting is a great example, saving time and not causing sore muscles. Farm life usually provides enough healthy exercise, but things like personal electronics could inspire urbanites to do the equivalent of climbing a flight of stairs every hour if the chargers were designed for it. It is better to use a pull string to get a long motion than to use a small hand crank, and the string can be foot-powered as well. A treadle computer is quite feasible. Healthy adults can burn 5,000 calories a day at 25% efficiency, but currently, this usually involves ten or twenty times as much oil energy use, so we should use more efficient motors for long-term jobs.