Background

Advances in low-power electronics and distributed systems have generated interest in small-scale power supply systems that harness energy from ambient sources. Low-power and distributed systems have also added to the portability of electronic devices, lessened dependency on wiring, and emphasized the search for reliable in-situ power generation. Harvesting useful power from ambient energy sources has shown great potential for powering wireless electronics in a wide range of applications, but current methods suffer from inefficiencies that often stem from low rates of energy extraction and circuitry complexity.

Technology Overview

Researchers at the University of Hawaii have developed a system capable of effectively and efficiently extracting useful power from low-level ambient sources. This is achieved with

A charge-carrying moveable electrode,
A reference electrode, and
Multiple dielectric regions.

These dielectric regions differ in capacitance and therefore also surface charge density. Low-power ambient energy (such as vibrational) causes the moveable electrode to oscillate between the dielectric regions, resulting in effective and efficient energy accumulation.

Benefits

Practical – System efficiently and effectively extracts useful power from low-level ambient energy
Innovative – Harvesting “free” unused energy enables advancement of new technologies previously considered impractical
Versatile – Simple and elegant design allows for integration in a wide range of electronic devices
Environmentally Friendly – System removes the need to involve harmful/hazardous chemicals currently used to power many devices

Applications

Self-powered sensors
Biomedical implants
Internet of things
Remote monitoring
Portable electronics

01120

Ambient Energy Harvesting Device with Charge-Carrying Movable Electrode

IP Status

Seeking