Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and structures that scavenge mechanical energy to provide electrical energy to a wearable, where the mechanical energy is scavenged by a bending-strain-based transducer that includes a non-resonant energy harvester. By employing a non-resonant energy harvester that operates in bending mode, more electrical energy can be generated that possible with prior-art energy harvesters. In some embodiments the bending-strain-based transducer also includes a sensor and/or a haptic device. Some transducers in accordance with the present disclosure comprise a piezoelectric layer comprising a low-K piezoelectric material, such as aluminum nitride, which enables generation of higher voltage and power/energy output and/or a thinner transducer. As a result, transducers in accordance with the present disclosure can be included in wearables for which large transducer thickness would be problematic, such as sole members (e.g., shoe insoles, midsoles or outsoles), garments, bras, handbags, backpacks, and the like.

A wearable article, a system, and methods include a structural material configured to enable the wearable article to the worn on a body, a piezoelectric generator, positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to output a voltage, a data translator, coupled to the piezoelectric generator, configured to output electronic data based on the voltage, and an electronic data storage, coupled to the data translator, configured to store the electronic data from the data translator.

A wearable article, a system, and methods include a structural material configured to enable the wearable article to the worn on a body, a piezoelectric generator, positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to output a voltage, a data translator, coupled to the piezoelectric generator, configured to output electronic data based on the voltage, and an electronic data storage, coupled to the data translator, configured to store the electronic data from the data translator.

A personal monitoring system includes one or more passive biometric sensors and a communication device. A passive biometric sensor is operable to sense a body condition of a body in accordance with a sense signal at a sense frequency to produce sensed data of a body condition. The passive biometric sensor is further operable to transmit an e-field signal via the body regarding the sensed data, wherein the e-field signal is in accordance with an e-field transmit/receive frequency. The communication device is operable to receive the e-field signal via the body. The communication device is further operable to recover the sensed data from the received e-field signal.

The present invention is footwear designed to produce electric power based on the movement of a wearer of the footwear. The footwear includes a kinetic energy generator integrated into the heel of the footwear. A rotor is included in the kinetic energy generator and is adapted to spin in response to the movements of the footwear. A shaft is coupled to the rotor and is configured to perform reciprocal movements to spin the rotor and generate electricity. A charging port is disposed at the rear of the footwear and is configured to receive a power cord such as a USB cable for charging electronic devices. The kinetic energy generator is lightweight and compact and maintains the comfort and usability of the footwear while generating electrical power. The footwear is coupled to a smartphone application for displaying current location, heat map, and electric power generation information of the footwear.

The present invention is footwear designed to produce electric power based on the movement of a wearer of the footwear. The footwear includes a kinetic energy generator integrated into the heel of the footwear. A rotor is included in the kinetic energy generator and is adapted to spin in response to the movements of the footwear. A shaft is coupled to the rotor and is configured to perform reciprocal movements to spin the rotor and generate electricity. A charging port is disposed at the rear of the footwear and is configured to receive a power cord such as a USB cable for charging electronic devices. The kinetic energy generator is lightweight and compact and maintains the comfort and usability of the footwear while generating electrical power. The footwear is coupled to a smartphone application for displaying current location, heat map, and electric power generation information of the footwear.