The creation of self-powered, health monitoring systems is possible only through the harvesting of energy from the environment. Energy in the environment can be converted to stored electrical energy by a variety of means, such as solar energy collection and mechanical power harvesting. Solar power is the most established technique, and can generate low voltage, moderate current at 10 mW/cm2. The drawbacks of solar for this application are its dependence on direct sunlight. The PI proposes to utilize vibrations from machines and wind induced structural oscillations to generate mechanical power that can be tapped as an electrical power source. Piezoelectric materials are compact, energy dense actuators and have unique properties for energy harvesting. They are capable of generating high voltages for modest levels of strain. Researchers have shown that nonlinear switching can enhance the performance of piezoelectric power harvesting, and it suggests that power electronics need to be considered when designing such systems. This approach can increase the theoretical power harvested from a piezoelectric by 400%. Additionally, circuits that can switch using self-generated power and sensing, in synchronization with the strain of piezoelectric devices will be also investigated.
This is an EAGER project with a GOALI component.
