Chicago Inno (April 21) – Touch Light Innovations, an Illinois student startup, aims to use footsteps as a power source. It's product, the Power Pad, is placed below carpets or floorboards, and harnesses energy from the force of a footstep using proprietary compounds that work similarly to piezoelectric materials (which create an electric current when pressure is applied). The device currently generates 10 watts of power per step, and they're aiming to get it up to 100 watts with more development.