Green Cross wanted to solve the problem that affects many children in Vietnam and many developing countries. They walk long distances to and from school, often many kilometers over areas with or without roads. By the time the children arrives home it is already dark, and as they live in areas without power candlelight is often the primary source of light.

Our objective was to create a free power source for children to do their homework and other tasks by electric light. By solving this we actively promote the Green Cross vision of better living for all people.

Our idea was to create a shoe that generated power by the action of walking. We developed the kinetic energy shoe. A shoe that generates and stores power with every step taken.

Vietnam is a developing country and it's very challenging to pursue and develop technological or innovative projects due to lack of resources; parts and equipment. Hence why we need to find alternative resources and materials, cheap, and most importantly, available in Vietnam that could provide the kinetic energy shoe to the maximum effect.

Working with a interdisciplinary team of students at University of Technology in Ho Chi Minh City, many trials to find the right elements from different field of engineering and electric studies, we manage to get a simple ways of harnessing kinetic energy, convert it to electrical energy and store it in a battery.

The technology is still at alpha stage and trials continue, research will be made to reach maximum potential and efficiency of the kinetic energy shoe before it enters mass production.

It gives Green Cross a reach that any brand hasn't been done, reaching out community that hasn't been reach by electricity. By the kinetic energy shoe, Green Cross manages to make an impact in the market and improve living conditions whilst demonstrating Green Cross innovation and commitment to healthy living. Harnessing the existing kinetic energy of the kids walking up to 15 kilometers everyday, we manage to progress and innovate an alternative solution which is piezoelectric elements that is only used in crystal speaker like frequency generator.

This is a new approach on a existing technique, where kinetic energy is a source of power. With the limited resources available to them the team mange to find alternative solution and make it compact and simple to apply to a shoe. Walking generates kinetic energy. The kinetic energy will be transformed into electrical energy as an AC current through piezo elements under the sole of shoes. This AC (Alternative current) can’t be used to charge batteries. To solve this problem, we use the full-bridge rectifier included 4 diodes to transform it to DC (Direct current). To stabilize the DC we pass through a capacitor as a filter and transfer and store the charge signal in the battery. When the batteries are fully charged, the child can remove and light up their lamp.

The next stage of the kinetic energy shoe is to continue developing, experimenting and getting results to improve and obtain the full efficiency of the technology. To continue finding resources, parts, and other components is also in the works.

Seed capital was made by Green Cross Incorporated and their subsidiary company is on board to make additional funding to furthermore the research and create a bigger impact to Vietnamese community.

Long term goal is to help people in need of this technology and improve living condition one step at a time. Mass production of the kinetic energy shoe is in talk right now with Green Cross Incorporated.

This project is a game changer in Vietnam. No other company in this category has done this kind of idea. Green Cross kinetic energy shoe will influence others to come up with simple innovative creative solutions to similar problems across Vietnam.

We are currently developing ways to make the technology more efficient. 1 prototype has been to be tried and tested and the technology team have a weekly visit to check, update and get information to the improvements of the kinetic energy shoe.