Disclosed is a thermoelectric device in which a separate interlayer is inserted between a thermoelectric leg and an electrode to reduce the contact resistance between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode, so that the interlayer serves as a tunneling path between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode, facilitating the charge movements between the two materials, and the thermoelectric device according to an embodiment includes a substrate, a thermoelectric leg positioned on the substrate, an interlayer positioned on the thermoelectric leg, and including a plurality of interlayer materials chemically bonded with the thermoelectric leg, and an electrode positioned on the interlayer, and electrically connected to the thermoelectric leg.

Disclosed is an energy mixer having a first active diode coupled between a first input node and an output node, and a second active diode coupled between a second input node and the output node. A first capacitor is coupled between the first input node and a dynamic node, and a second capacitor is coupled between the second input node and a third node. Switching circuitry is configured to selectively couple the dynamic node between a fixed voltage node and the second input node in response to a control signal provided by control circuitry. When an output voltage at the output node is within a first range, the dynamic node is coupled to the fixed voltage node and when the output voltage is within a lower voltage second range, the dynamic node is coupled to the second input node such that first capacitor and second capacitor are coupled in series.

The disclosure generally relates to wireless sensing nodes, energy harvesting, and energy charging. The disclosure also generally relates to reporting data gathered by the wireless sensing nodes to one or more network services.

One embodiment discloses a thermoelectric element comprising: a first substrate; a plurality of thermoelectric legs disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed on the plurality of thermoelectric legs above the first substrate; electrodes including a plurality of first electrodes disposed between the first substrate and the plurality of thermoelectric legs and a plurality of second electrodes disposed between the second substrate and the plurality of thermoelectric legs; and a first reinforcing part disposed on the lower surface and a portion of the side surface of the first substrate.

According to one embodiment, a power generation element includes first and second conductive layers, and first and second members. The first member is provided between the first and second conductive layers. The first member includes a first crystal region and a first layer region. The first crystal region is between the first layer region and the first conductive layer. An orientation from negative to positive of a polarization of the first crystal region has a component in a first orientation from the first conductive layer toward the second conductive layer. The first layer region includes a first layer-shaped portion spreading along a first surface. The first surface crosses the first orientation. The first layer-shaped portion includes at least one of graphene and a transition metal dichalcogenide. The second member is provided between the first member and the second conductive layer and separated from the first member.

A scanner capable of determining 3D coordinates in the presence of bright background light includes a laser and a camera, the laser emitting light at a wavelength adjusted with a thermoelectric cooler, the camera passing the adjusted wavelength through a bandpass filter.

A thermal display module configured to create a thermal pattern discerned by a visually impaired user to determine his or her surroundings. The thermal display module includes a plurality of thermoelectric modules, each of which are configured to cool or heat a pixel plate in close proximity to a user's skin. The cooling or heating of each of the thermoelectric modules create the thermal pattern discernable by the user.

A hybrid solar system including a hybrid solar collector using non-imaging optics and photovoltaic components and a heat transfer and storage system in thermal communication with the hybrid solar collector, the heat transfer and storage system using particle laden gas as thermal media to simultaneously generate and store electricity and high temperature dispatchable heat.

A DC-DC converter and method are provided for converting a low voltage DC input to a higher voltage DC output. The DC-DC converter has an oscillator with a first relatively voltage sensitive and relatively low power transistor and a second relatively voltage insensitive and relatively high power transistor, the oscillator producing an AC signal from the low voltage DC input. The inclusion of the voltage sensitive transistor allows the oscillator to turn on at a relatively low voltage. The inclusion of the higher power transistor allows the oscillator to operate at a higher power once it turns on. The DC-DC converter can be used for converting energy harvested from low voltage sources.

A thermoelectric fabric may include a plurality of first threads and a plurality of electrically insulating second threads. The plurality of first threads may each be defined by a plurality of p-doped thread portions, a plurality of n-doped thread portions, and a plurality of electrically conductive thread portions. The plurality of p-doped thread portions and the plurality of n-doped thread portions may be arranged in an alternating manner. The plurality of electrically conductive thread portions may be arranged between the plurality of n-doped thread portions and the plurality of p-dope thread portions. The plurality of electrically conductive thread portions may be structured as a plurality of broad, flexible, stretchable conductive track portions