For kids of all ages: Energy-generating playground is fun

Ananya Tantia, a junior in Industrial Design studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, teams up with Erin Knowlton to bring forth an energy-generating playing field at an existing site in Providence. Aimed for kids from the estimated age group of five to twelve years, the playground will feature an aerial merry-go-round, a zip-line, a seesaw and a roller slide. Each component captures electricity from rotational motion while working on a slightly different rotary motor system. As the rotors inside the components spin, the magnets start shifting polarities to create an electron. When pooled, the electrons create enough energy to power lights in a school, for an outdoor game field, or street lamps.

AERIAL MERRY-GO-ROUND

Since kids always show that inclination to fly, a merry-go-around with tire swings makes them feel the sensation while others spin the bottom of the merry-go-round. As the top blades start spinning, a rod attached to the top piece moves inside an outer casing. The rod attached to a gear system spins the rotor to produce energy.


















ZIP-LINE

A couple of zip-lines with different heights on the playground accommodate to different children needs. A rod attached to the top piece of two pulleys of each zip-line moves inside an outer casing to spin the rotor.

SEESAW

A seesaw will be there to accommodate children of all ages. The kids stand on the blue poles on either side and hold the purposely-long grips. As kids shift their weight forward and backward, the seesaw oscillates creating the rocking motion. Resultantly, a rod, running through the center of the seesaw, moves a gear back and forth. Again, electricity is produced.

ROLLER-SLIDE

A fortress-esque structure combines rock climbing and sliding. Featuring multiple slides and multiple ways to climb up and down, the slides generates energy from rollers that work on a belt drive system.