Power-Grabbing Shock Absorbers

Levant Power Corp. is developing a new type of shock absorber that can use the kinetic energy from a bumpy road to generate watts. The pothole-produced electricity could be used to power dashboard lights or windshield wipers. Levant CEO Shakeel Avadhany said the product, named GenShock, lowers fuel consumption by 1 to 6 percent and can be used in hybrid and conventional cars. Avadhany said GenShock should be on the market by the second quarter of next year and will cost a bit more than ordinary shock absorbers. Levant, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, won a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation in May to test its devices with hybrid trucks. In addition to the consumer market, the company wants to tap the military vehicle market, as the harvested electricity could be used to power weapons systems and radios in combat cars.