An electrical power generator includes a first part configured to be located in a fluid such that, when the fluid moves, it generates vortices in the fluid so that a lift force is generated on the first part, which produces an oscillating movement of the first part, which has an amplitude. The natural oscillation frequency of the first part may be adjusted to wind speed by way of magnets, which repel each other. Magnets may also be used to generate electrical currents in coils. The first part can have a diameter that increases with distance above the base of the generator.

Techniques for harvesting electrical energy from a plurality of harvesters is disclosed. An example energy harvesting system includes a plurality of harvesters and a signal conditioning circuit selectively coupled to an output of each of the plurality of harvesters. The system also includes an energy storage element coupled to the output of the signal conditioning circuit to be charged by the plurality of harvesters through the signal conditioning circuit. The system also includes a controller to discharge a selected harvester to the signal conditioning circuit when an output of the selected harvester triggers a charge collection.

A nonlinear magnetic force-based arched piezoelectric ceramic energy harvesting deceleration strip, which comprises an outer case and an internal generating mechanism. The outer case structure comprises an upper deceleration strip and a casing. The casing is embedded in the pavement structure by excavating the upper part of surface course. A rebounding mechanism is located between the upper deceleration strip and casing to restore the pressed upper deceleration strip. Features: the generating mechanism comprises a rack, a gear set and generating discs. The rack is disposed at the bottom of the upper deceleration strip and moving up and down therewith. The rack can drive the gear set to generate acceleration, and the transmission shafts drive the left and right generating discs to rotate. The gear set is combined with three transmission shafts.

A vibrational energy harvesting system is disclosed. Included is a first energy harvesting unit and a second energy harvesting unit that convert mechanical vibrations into first and second AC signals, respectively. A first AC-DC converter coupled to the first energy harvesting unit and a second AC-DC converter coupled to the second energy harvesting unit are configured to convert the first AC signal and the second AC signal into a first DC signal and a second DC signal, respectively. A DC-DC converter is coupled between the second AC-DC converter and a controller, and is configured to receive the second DC signal and provide a regulated DC signal by using energy from the second DC signal in response to a periodic signal generated by the controller. Typically, an energy storage unit is coupled to the DC-DC converter and is configured to receive and store energy from the regulated DC signal.

A device (10) including a deformable shell (12) delimiting an inner space (14), and: a resilient band (18, 30, 32) suspended in the inner space (14) and including two ends secured to the deformable shell (12), said band (18, 30, 32) including a piezoelectric material (30, 32) to generate an electric voltage under the effect of the deformation of the shell (12) and two electrodes for collecting the voltage; and an electronic circuit (34) for processing the voltage, arranged on the resilient band (18, 30, 32) and connected to the electrodes of the resilient band (18, 30, 32).

A circuit for comparing a voltage with a threshold, including: first and second nodes of application of the voltage; a first branch including a first transistor series-connected with a first resistor between first and second nodes; a second branch parallel to the first branch, including second and third series-connected resistors forming a voltage dividing bridge between the first and second nodes, the midpoint of the dividing bridge being connected to a control node of the first transistor; and a third branch including a second transistor in series with a resistive and/or capacitive element, between the control node of the first transistor and the first or second node, a control node of the second transistor being connected to the junction point of the first transistor and of the first resistor.

An implantable device for harvesting in-vivo blood pressure fluctuations' energy to generate electrical power for powering medical implants while avoiding the need for external power sources.

This module comprises: a circuit for interfacing with the piezoelectric beam of an oscillating pendular unit, outputting a rectified signal comprising a sequence of pulses at a frequency equal to a multiple of the oscillation frequency of the pendular unit; a buffer capacitor charged by the successive pulses outputted by the interface circuit; and a converter regulator adapted to convert a capacitor discharge current into a stabilized power supply voltage, and controlled by a feedback control stage of the Maximum Power-Point Tracking (MPPT) type. A comparator detects the conduction of a blocking diode interposed between the interface circuit and the capacitor, in order to produce a signal representative of the current value of the duty cycle of the detected conduction and non-conduction periods. This signal is compared with a predetermined optimum duty cycle value in order to enable or disable the coupling of the capacitor to the converter regulator so as to control either the capacitor discharge towards an input of the converter regulator, or the continuation of its charging.

A power generation unit includes a deforming member (a beam) adapted to deform while switching a deformation direction, a first piezoelectric device provided to the deforming member (the beam), a second piezoelectric device provided to the deforming member (the beam), an inductor electrically connected to the first piezoelectric device, a switch disposed between the first piezoelectric device and the inductor, and a control section adapted to detect a voltage generated in the second piezoelectric device, and if the voltage detected has a level one of equal to and higher than a predetermined level, electrically connect the first piezoelectric device and the inductor to each other using the switch.

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.