Harnessing the Energy of Galloping Gertie

FatLittleMonkey writes "You've all seen the footage of Galloping Gertie, the infamous Tacoma Narrows bridge. This is due to a type of turbulence called Wake Galloping, caused by airflow creating lift on the lee-side of cylinders (or cables on suspension bridges.) Now researchers in South Korea have developed a way of harnessing the turbulence to generate electricity. Their device works most efficiently at wind speeds too low for conventional wind turbines."

Interesting Concept

[Jarik C-Bol]

after RTFA, I'm heading this one off at the pass; Yes, the concept of generating electricity from this effect has been done before, we all remember the /. article about the generator that looked like a violin bow, which vibrated in the wind and made a magnet move in a coil. FYI, the article mentions this exact device, and its inventor. this however, is a new approach to the process, and IMOH, better suited to remote/poor villages, as it is a more durable device (at least on initial assessment).

its good to see these sorts of innovations and adaptations of initial concepts. It means people are working the problems, and, it appears, finding more than one way to 'skin that cat'.

Re:Interesting Concept

[Cheerio Boy]

after RTFA, I'm heading this one off at the pass; Yes, the concept of generating electricity from this effect has been done before, we all remember the /. article about the generator that looked like a violin bow, which vibrated in the wind and made a magnet move in a coil. FYI, the article mentions this exact device, and its inventor. this however, is a new approach to the process, and IMOH, better suited to remote/poor villages, as it is a more durable device (at least on initial assessment). its good to see these sorts of innovations and adaptations of initial concepts. It means people are working the problems, and, it appears, finding more than one way to 'skin that cat'.

I believe you're referring to the windbelt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMojRXK14jU [youtube.com]

Re:Catastrophic failure?

[thegarbz]

Yeah and I didn't even get a fucking smiley face.

That's the great part about the internet isn't it. Some 80% of human communication happens via visual cues. To you the poster wrote a joke. To me the poster was ignorant of what is possible and the extent designers typically go to with their equipment. To others he raises a very legitimate concern.

Wouldn't know which it is without the smiley face.

Re:Ubuntu 12.0

[Arancaytar]

Wouldn't that have been a potential name for Ubuntu 7.10? Otherwise, they won't loop around to G again till 2020. :P