A Systems Engineering Approach to Harnessing Human Energy in Public Places: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

This study analyzes the feasibility of placing modified exercise equipment in public places to enable human energy harnessing. By assessing the impacts as a system-level synthesis of economic, environmental, productivity, and health benefits, it is shown that introducing human-powered equipment (HPE) in public places would be feasible and beneficial both to society in general and to the specific stakeholders investing in this technology. This study develops a framework to evaluate applications of this technology using benefits to costs analyses. The benefits and challenges for successful implementation of HPE technology are also presented and evaluated in various case studies involving public places at airports and schools.