Developing a piezoelectric doormat for renewable energy generation

Hanz John J. Abello, Shania Therese T. Abolucion, Rhea Belle T. Campos, 1Marlon V. Gatan, Shayne Ashly I. Impreso, Jan Rey P. Relator, Michael Jefferson H. Reyes, Ma. Viera Celine C. Tabulod, Loraine G. Arevalo & Vianny Nicole P. Montuya

Volume 6 Issue 1 June 2026

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https://doi.org/10.53378/trp.210

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Abstract

This study developed and evaluated a piezoelectric doormat that converts kinetic energy from footsteps into electrical energy. The system used 35 PZT ceramic discs arranged in a 5×7 matrix within a 50cm×70cm mat, paired with a bridge rectifier, 4700 µF capacitor, MT3608 boost converter, and 18650 lithium-ion batteries with BMS. Using a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, performance was monitored over 12 weeks under varying loads (40–100 kg, 30–120 steps/minute). The mat generated a mean power of 6.8±2.1W, accumulating 268.8 kWh with 3.2±0.8% conversion efficiency. ANOVA confirmed significant effects of weight (p<0.001) and step frequency (p<0.001). The Grade 11 STEM students (N=33) rated sustainability (M=4.65) and efficiency (M=4.57) positively, but raised durability concerns (M=4.55), consistent with the observed 18.1% performance decline over 12 weeks. Development cost was $408.57 ($60.08/watt) with a 2.12-year payback period. Material degradation, moderate efficiency, and high costs limit large-scale deployment. Future work should focus on material optimization, improved circuitry, and cost-reduction strategies for high-traffic applications.

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Author information & Contribution

Hanz John J. Abello. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Shania Therese T. Abolucion. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Rhea Belle T. Campos. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Marlon V. Gatan. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Shayne Ashly I. Impreso. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Jan Rey P. Relator. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Michael Jefferson H. Reyes. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Ma. Viera Celine C. Tabulod. Senior High School Graduate, Aklan Catholic College.

Loraine G. Arevalo. Corresponding author. College Graduate. Senior High School Faculty at Aklan Catholic College. Email: lorainearevalo24@gmail.com

Vianny Nicole P. Montuya. College Graduate. Senior High School Faculty at Aklan Catholic College. Email: viannynicolemontuya@gmail.com

Hanz John J. Abello and Shania Therese T. Abolucion, contributed to experimental design, piezoelectric doormat fabrication, data acquisition from 12-week performance testing, and initial drafting of Methodology and Findings sections.

Rhea Belle T. Campos and Jan Rey P. Relator performed statistical analyses, economic feasibility calculations and interpretation of efficiency trends.

Marlon V. Gatan and Shayne Ashly I. Impreso conducted literature search on piezoelectric theory/applications, initial Literature Review drafting, ethics protocol development and contributed to technical specs drafting.

Ma. Viera Celine C. Tabulod and Michael Jefferson H. Reyes are responsible for data visualization and compliance with Data Privacy Act (RA 10173). Contributed to ethical considerations subsection, accountable for ethical compliance, analyzed user experience data and revised Results sections for clarity.

Vianny Nicole P. Montuya Capstone adviser and Loraine G. Arevalo, Research Adviser, provided overall research supervision, critical revision of all sections for intellectual content, data interpretation oversight, and final paper finalization including formatting/referencing fixes. Gave final approval; accountable for entire work's integrity.

All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring questions on accuracy or integrity are appropriately investigated and resolved.

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Funding

Declaration

The author declares the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation of this manuscript. Specifically, Claude AI was employed to assist with content development and conceptual clarification; Grammarly was utilized for grammar checking and stylistic refinement; QuillBot was used for paraphrasing and sentence restructuring; and Turnitin was applied to assess originality and overall manuscript quality. The author assumes full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and editorial soundness of all content produced or refined through the use of these tools.

Notes

Acknowledgement

The researchers would like to express their sincerest gratitude to Aklan Catholic College for the institutional support, facilities, and resources that made this research possible.Heartfelt thanks are extended to Research Adviser and Capstone Adviser for guidance, mentorship, and continuous support throughout the research process.

The researchers are likewise grateful to the panel of evaluators for their valuable feedback and recommendations, and to the faculty and teachers of Aklan Catholic College for the knowledge and inspiration they have shared.This accomplishment would not have been possible without their collective support and dedication.

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Cite this article:

Abello, H.J.J., Abolucion, S.T.T., Campos, R.B.T., Gatan, M.V., Impreso, S.A.I., Relator, J.R.P., Reyes, M.J.H., Tabulod, M.V.C.C., Arevalo, L.G. & Montuya, V.N.P. (2026). Developing a piezoelectric doormat for renewable energy generation. The Research Probe, 6(1), 22-44. https://doi.org/10.53378/trp.210