Our team developed SecondWind, a compact wind-powered charging and GPS solution designed specifically for cyclists and outdoor adventurers. The idea came from a common problem: during long or remote rides, cyclists often rely on electronic devices like smartphones and GPS trackers—but limited battery life and unreliable access to power or signal can become major challenges. To solve this, we created a lightweight, water-resistant device that passively generates power while riding using a small wind turbine. The energy is stored and can be used to charge devices directly or supplement the onboard battery via USB-C. What really makes SecondWind stand out is its GPS capability—when connected to the internet, it sends real-time location and environmental data (like temperature and humidity) to our website, segundowind.com, every second. In the absence of internet, users can still connect their phones to the device and access offline maps, which is extremely helpful in emergency or low-signal situations. We tested turbine designs at cycling speeds around 13 m/s and confirmed over 1W of reliable power generation, which met our design goals. Instead of pursuing diminishing gains in turbine output, we shifted focus to refining the PCB design and optimizing our software stack using ESP32 with C++, HTML/CSS, and JavaScript. Our system also uses Leaflet to render offline maps and a microSD card to store logs and tiles. Ultimately, SecondWind is our answer to a real-world need: a practical, rugged tool that keeps riders connected, powered, and safer no matter where the road takes them.
Subjects: Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Renewable Engineering
