It was very busy today in Tokyo as Japan, too, loves the Christmas season. And Tokyo’s Shibuya district, as one of the most crowded areas in the world, was particularly full with people.

That’s the major reason why a very special kind of mat (45.5cm squared, piezoelectric) was placed right outside Shibuya station. The mat generates between 0.1 and 0.3W of electricity every time a person weighing 60kg steps on it twice. About 900,000 people pass by the area daily.

Watch the video I took today in Shibuya for a demonstration of how many people step on it in 30 seconds.

http://blip.tv/play/ih_i3GiJ5FQ

The power-generating mat was developed by Tokyo-based tech company Soundpower [JP]. It will be removed tomorrow evening.