A system includes power harvesting circuitry in combination with energy storage and conversion circuitry. The power harvesting circuitry may be configured to respond to energy generated by rotary machinery having at least condition being monitored by at least one component having at least one electronic circuit, and provide harvested power. The energy storage and conversion circuitry may be configured to respond to the harvested power provided from the power harvesting circuitry, and provide stored and converted power to the at least one component for monitoring the least one condition of the rotary machinery.

The present invention provides an energy harvesting system that removes the need for batteries for sensing and actuating purposes through the use of energy harvesting materials such as piezoelectric transducers. The present invention particularly provides clamping and actuation mechanisms for energy harvesting applications including energy harvesting switches, more particularly energy harvesting wireless switches. The present invention is designed to produce sufficient instantaneous energy to power low-power circuits such as radio transmitters, allowing for seamless integration with existing smart devices. In addition, the system benefits from battery less operation, eliminating the need for regular battery maintenance and replacement as well as end of life recycling. An energy harvesting system is provided comprising: a) an energy harvesting material which generates energy when deformed or moved from a first position to a second position; and b) an energy generator support which has first and second mounting supports between which the energy harvesting material is mounted in the first position wherein the first and second mounting supports each have an internal surface and the internal surfaces are each provided with a layer of a resilient material and a layer of a non-resilient material wherein the layer of the non-resilient material engages the energy harvesting material.

A device for recovering or dampening vibratory energy from a mechanical resonator, comprising: an electrical generator comprising an element for converting mechanical vibration energy into electrical charges coupled to the resonator, the electrical generator periodically transferring a portion of the electrical charges from one terminal of the conversion element to the other; a frequency variation to phase variation conversion device, comprising an injection-locked oscillator of which the free-running oscillation frequency is equal to the resonance frequency of the resonator, and supplying to the electrical generator a control signal of frequency equal to that of the signal outputted by the conversion element and of which the phase shift depends on the difference between the frequency of the signal outputted by the conversion element and the resonance frequency of the resonator.

A self-powered sensor node includes a printed wiring board connected to a patch. The printed wiring board includes a microcontroller, a transceiver, an antenna, and a power management module connected to supply electric power to the microcontroller. The patch comprises a metamaterial substrate and a piezoelectric element adhered to the metamaterial substrate. The piezoelectric element is connected to the power management module and to the microcontroller. The power management module is configured to store electric power received from the piezoelectric element. The microcontroller is configured to selectively convert electrical signals received from the piezoelectric element into sensor data and then command the transceiver to transmit the sensor data via the antenna. The metamaterial substrate has an auxetic kirigami honeycomb structure.

A power generating element according to the present invention includes: a support frame formed in a frame shape in plan view; a vibrating body provided inside the support frame; a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion that supports the vibrating body on the support frame; and a charge generating element to generate a charge at the time of displacement of the vibrating body. The support frame includes a first frame portion arranged on a first side with respect to the vibrating body and includes a second frame portion arranged on a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the vibrating body. The first bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the first frame portion. The second bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the second frame portion.

A predetermined internal voltage of a charging and discharging conversion unit is monitored by using voltage supervisor circuits of a voltage monitoring unit in response to a drive voltage for a load to operate such that a connection state of a plurality of capacitors included in the conversion unit is converted to a series connection or a parallel connection in a charging mode or a discharging mode, switching of switching elements of the conversion unit is controlled through switching control signals generated corresponding thereto, and thereby, the plurality of capacitors of the conversion unit are connected in series in the charging mode, and the connection state of the plurality of capacitors is converted and connected in the order of an entire parallel connection, a partial series connection, and an entire series connection in response to the drive voltage for the load to be driven in the discharging mode.

An equivalent circuit architecture and attendant methods for generating a physically unclonable function (PUF) response include a plurality of devices capable of generating a voltage output, a voltage source, and a microcontroller adapted to receive the voltage output from each device of the plurality of devices. The devices may be energy harvesting devices or sensors. The microcontroller is configured to determine an average peak voltage for predefined groups of the plurality of devices, to compare summation voltage values for the predefined groups, and from that information to output response values defining a 128-bit PUF response. The microcontroller determines a peak voltage of each device of the plurality of devices an equal number of times to generate the 128 bit PUF response value, this preventing biasing the response towards any individual device or group of devices.

The implant comprises a tubular body housing an energy harvesting module adapted to convert external stresses applied to the implant into electrical energy, by means of an inertial pendular unit comprising an elastically deformable element coupled to an inertial mass, as well as a rechargeable battery adapted to be recharged by the energy harvesting module, the battery being previously charged at an initial charge level. The accessory comprises an external source of electrical energy for the temporary storage of an electrical energy during the transportation and storage of the implant, the external source being physically separated from the implant. A temporary electrical coupling link from the external source to the implant rechargeable battery ensures a power supply of the rechargeable battery by the external source and hence maintains, during the whole transportation and storage duration before implantation, a battery charge level higher than a minimum predetermined level. A protection support wedges the implant with respect to the accessory while ensuring the electrical coupling of the implant to the external source, thanks to a shock-absorbing structure and vibration-filtering structure, with a texture of elastically deformable strands or slats, wrapping and wedging the implant in position inside the protection support.

This application relates to a self-powered sensor and a monitoring system including the same. In one aspect, the self-powered sensor includes a power generation unit converting an external physical stimulus into electrical energy, and a sensing unit generating and transmitting a sensing signal corresponding to the electrical energy. The sensing unit may include an electrical energy storage unit storing the electrical energy transmitted from the power generation unit, a switching unit switching to an energized state or a power-saving state according to the comparison result of the storage amount of the electrical energy stored in the electrical energy storage unit and a reference storage amount. The sensing unit may also include a processor generating and wirelessly transmitting a sensing signal based on the electrical energy stored in the electrical energy storage unit when the switching unit switches to the energized state.

A shoe energy collecting device includes a shell, a piezoelectric assembly, an elastic component, a magnet array, a base, a supporting block, an upper friction assembly and a lower friction assembly. The shell includes a supporting shell and a plastic shell connected in sequence. The base is provided below the supporting block in the supporting shell, the lower friction assembly is provided between the supporting block and the base. The upper friction assembly is provided on an inner wall of a top surface of the plastic shell. A coil is provided on a lower surface of the lower friction assembly at a side of the plastic shell, and the magnet array is provided below the coil. The piezoelectric assembly is provided in the plastic shell, the elastic component is provided on a side wall of the plastic shell away from the supporting block, and connected with the piezoelectric assembly.