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Japan’s Sumitomo Rubber and Kansai University develop technology to generate electric power from the rotation of a tire. 

The research, led by Prof. Hiroshi Tani of Kansai University, found that by installing an energy harvester inside a tire, static electricity can be converted to clean energy. 

This energy harvester takes advantage of a type of static electricity called frictional charging, formed each time a tire’s footprint deforms as it rotates along the road.  

Sumitomo says the technology holds great potential for practical applications such as a power source for many automotive digital tools. 

Sumitomo says it is confident its latest research will lead to practical applications for this new technology as a power source for sensors used in tire-pressure monitoring systems and other automotive devices, contributing to the creation of services using digital tools without the need for batteries. 

Sumitomo is the world’s fifth-largest tire manufacturer with 11 global production facilities.