As wearable electronic devices evolve and proliferate, there will be a growing need for more power delivery to distributed points around the human body. Today, much of that storage is provided by batteries and power delivery is via wires. The current approach to power distribution is clearly becoming problematic -- as more appliances are carried, we are forced to either use more small batteries that require replacement everywhere or run wires through our clothing to supply appliances from a central power source.
Both are undesirable. A better solution is clearly to generate power where it is being used, bypassing the storage and distribution problem altogether. As power requirements drop for most wearable devices, it is no longer infeasible to harvest a useful amount of energy "parasitically" from a normal range of human activity.
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Parasitic Power Harvesting in Shoes
