Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional and/or tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize non-coiled or coiled yarns and can be either neat or comprising a guest. Devices comprising these artificial muscles are also described.

Described herein are devices in which quantum noise is reduced, such as by incorporating the devices as part of or adjacent to a Casimir cavity. The devices with reduced quantum noise can be paired with a free-space electric device to allow for a difference in noise power between the two to be captured.

A thermoelectric conversion element that has a power generation layer containing an iron-aluminum based magnetic alloy material containing equal to or more than 70 weight percent of iron and aluminum in total. The power generation layer generates an electromotive force, due to an anomalous Nernst effect that develops in the magnetic alloy material in response to a temperature gradient applied thereto, in a direction intersecting both the magnetization direction of the magnetic alloy material and the direction of the applied temperature gradient.

A heat recovery device, including a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure comprising an outer peripheral side wall having one or more planar outer peripheral side surfaces; one or more thermoelectric conversion modules arranged to face the one or more planar outer peripheral side surfaces; a tubular member that circumferentially covers the outer peripheral side surfaces of the honeycomb structure and the one or more thermoelectric conversion modules; and a casing that circumferentially covers the tubular member; wherein the partition walls are mainly configured of ceramics; and wherein the casing has an inflow port and an outflow port for a second fluid having a temperature lower than that of the first fluid, and a flow path for the second fluid is formed circumferentially around the tubular member between an inner surface of the casing and an outer surface of the tubular member.

A honeycomb sandwich structure includes a main body portion having a first skin material, a second skin material, and a honeycomb core sandwiched between the first skin material and the second skin material, and a thermoelectric conversion module that generates power using a temperature difference between a high temperature side module front surface and a low temperature side module rear surface. The thermoelectric conversion module is embedded in a main body portion such that at least one of the module front surface and the module rear surface is in a state being exposed from the main body portion, and as a result, a temperature difference is generated between the module front surface and the module rear surface.

A transducer that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy, the transducer includes: a dielectric layer; a first electrode that is provided on one surface of the dielectric layer; and a second electrode that is provided on another surface of the dielectric layer. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode becomes an insulator, before the dielectric layer suffers insulation breakdown by voltage that is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Described herein are systems incorporating a Casimir cavity, such as an optical Casimir cavity or a plasmon Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavity modifies the zero-point energy density therein as compared to outside of the Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavities are paired in the disclosed systems with product generating devices and the difference in zero-point energy densities is used to directly drive the generation of products, such as chemical reaction products or emitted light.

A thermoelectric conversion material is represented by a composition formula Ag.sub.2-xα.sub.xS, where α is one selected from among Ni, V, and Ti. The value of x is greater than 0 and smaller than 0.6.

Method for harvesting energy using an EAP based deformable body. The EAP based deformable body is an elastically deformable body including an arrangement of stretchable synthetic material and electrodes being arranged as a variable capacitor with a capacitance that varies as the deformable body stretches and relaxes. The method includes: looping through an energy harvesting cycle with a) stretching the deformable body from a minimal relaxed size L1 to a maximal stretched size L2; b) at the maximal stretched size electrically charging of the variable capacitor to create an electric field over the capacitor with an upper electric field level value; and subsequently c) a relaxation step from maximal stretched size to the minimal relaxed size; d) at the minimal relaxed size of the deformable body, electrically discharging the capacitor to a minimal charge level and a minimal electric field level value.

A roadway renewable energy generation system and method, that includes a plurality of plunger devices, electrically connected in series, and each plunger device configured to generate a predetermined amount of electricity, through reciprocating linear motion, when actuated by an object; a plurality of grooves formed within a ground surface configured to house the plurality of plunger devices therein, wherein a top portion of each plunger device extends a predetermined distance above the ground surface; a transformer configured to transform the electricity generated by the plurality of plunger devices; and a storage device configured to store the electricity from the transformer. The system is embedded into roadways and parking garages/ramp entrances, for example, to enable electricity generated when each plunger device is depressed as the vehicle tires pass over the roadways to be stored and reused for electric vehicles and power/utility grids.