Imagine being in a sports stadium, surrounded by the roar of thousands of fans, the noise so deafening it vibrates through the stands. Now, picture that energy being captured and converted into a power source for the stadium. This might sound like science fiction, but it’s exactly the concept Gyeongyun Lily Min, a high school senior from Lake Charles, Louisiana, is exploring. Inspired by Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., Gyeongyun developed an innovative system to harness soundwaves from stadiums and convert them into usable electricity.
For those unfamiliar with the movie, the story revolves around a world of monsters who power their city by collecting children’s screams. The creativity of this premise sparked something in Gyeongyun. “This imaginative concept sparked my curiosity about the potential of converting sound into usable energy,” she explains. “I began to wonder if, in reality, we could harness the abundant noise in environments like sports arenas and use it to generate electricity.”
The technical foundation for her idea lies in the piezoelectric effect, a process where certain materials generate electricity in response to applied pressure. While the piezoelectric effect is not new, its applications have traditionally been limited to other forms of kinetic energy. It has been used in projects like energy-generating roads and even cochlear implants, where vibrations are converted into electrical signals to help the hearing impaired.
In 2021, another young innovator, Jeremiah Thoronka, was awarded the Chegg.org Global Student Prize for a piezoelectric machine that generates electricity by absorbing kinetic energy from cars passing over roadways. Thoronka’s invention powers 150 homes without needing batteries or a connection to a larger power grid, an impressive feat that doesn’t rely on fluctuating weather conditions. Gyeongyun’s design takes a slightly different approach, using soundwaves as the source of energy instead of direct physical impact like footsteps or vehicle movement.
Gyeongyun elaborated on her process: rather than capturing kinetic energy from heavy objects, her design targets soundwaves, specifically those produced by cheering crowds in stadiums. To test her hypothesis, she built a small-scale model of a typical sports arena, following NBA court specifications. Her model measured 22 by 12 inches, and she simulated the noise of a crowd by playing sounds at two levels: 70 decibels and 100 decibels. The goal was to see how much energy could be harvested based on the placement of her piezoelectric modules within the structure.
Though her experiment was met with some technical limitations, such as the subpar quality of the piezoelectric devices, the project still managed to convert soundwaves into electricity. However, the output was small, measured only in milliwatts rather than the larger wattage needed to make a significant impact. Despite this, the proof of concept was clear: with higher-quality materials and a larger, more refined system, Gyeongyun believes the technology could one day power an entire stadium.
The potential applications for her soundwave-harvesting technology aren’t limited to sports arenas. Gyeongyun envisions urban environments, bustling with constant noise, as perfect locations for sound-based energy systems. “In urban areas with heavy traffic, the constant noise from vehicles could be harnessed to generate electricity, contributing to the energy needs of city infrastructure,” she explains in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine. She also sees industrial facilities as another ideal environment for the technology. “Manufacturing plants, which often have continuous machinery noise, could integrate piezoelectric devices to capture and convert these sound vibrations into electrical energy, thereby reducing their overall energy consumption and improving sustainability.”
Although Gyeongyun’s experiment didn’t win her the top prize, it still earned her recognition at the Regeneron International Science Fair, one of the most prestigious science competitions in the U.S. Her project was a finalist, and she received widespread praise for her innovative thinking. “Even though the energy output was minimal, the idea of capturing soundwaves as an energy source is something that could really take off with further development,” commented one of the judges.
Looking ahead, Gyeongyun is optimistic. With more advanced technology, she believes her idea could revolutionize energy generation in noisy environments. “This is just the beginning,” she says. “I’m excited to continue working on this project and see where it leads. If we can refine this concept, it could open up entirely new ways of thinking about renewable energy and sustainability.”
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