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The cost-optimized mundane everyday machines that we expect to move are endowed with 150x that energy output -- and with the ability to sustain it rather than burst it. 1kW is large for a human but small for moving a big chunk of metal. Since the sort of resonant motion would be thoroughly damped if, say, you built a full scale ISS in your backyard, I tend to agree with them that it's notable.

> The cost-optimized mundane everyday machines that we expect to move are endowed with 150x that energy output -- and with the ability to sustain it rather than burst it.

A perfect example is a large water pump, a 250hp electric pump draws approximately 150kW (480v 3ph, around 300-310 amps).

I make Sustainable Sound (1),a bicycle powered sound+light+robot interactive experience… can confirm the impressive power a human can create.

(1) http://sustainablesound.org/ (Deep apologies for how behind my sites are - recovering and working on it)

Little Ant's and Bee's are even more impressive...well not on a bike but otherwise.