A power supply circuit that outputs an electric power input from a vibration-driven energy harvesting element to an external load includes a rectifying circuit that rectifies an alternating current power input from the vibration-driven energy harvesting element; a first capacitor that accumulates a power output from the rectifying circuit; a chopper circuit that has a switching element controlling a chopper timing and has an input terminal connected to the first capacitor; and a control signal generation unit that supplies a control signal to the switching element, wherein: the control signal generation unit generates the control signal without referring to a voltage of the first capacitor.

This invention comprises a panel or system of panels. Each panel comprises a top layer, which is comprised of tempered glass that is highly transparent to allow for maximum light wave transmission. These solar light waves are captured by the photovoltaic cell which comprises the second layer of the panel where this solar energy is converted into usable electrical energy. Vibrations experienced by the photopiezoelectric panel due to foot and lightweight vehicle traffic are absorbed by the PZT sheet layer, which is the third layer of the panel where they are converted into usable electrical energy. The fourth and final layer of the panel consists of the connector plate which serves as the hub and interconnection for gathering the generated electrical energies and transmitting them into the modular grid network to be consumed by various load devices, such as streetlights and other power-dependent city infrastructure.

Wear element for an earth-moving machine, corresponding measuring device and machine, in particular an excavating machine, loading machine, dredging machine, or the like. Said wear element is provided with a measuring device and further comprising energy harvesting means configured for capturing energy derived from an external source with respect to said measuring device and supplying said energy, in the form of electrical energy, to said measuring device.

An electrical current generating device having a sound wave force magnifying structure in the form of a force transmission pin which is longitudinally slidable within a body bore and having a proximal end of a large area for receiving sound wave forces, and having a greatly reduced area distal end which bears on a piezoelectric element.

A wearable device that is capable of harvesting kinetic energy from wrist motions using piezoelectric and/or electromagnetic energy harvesters is disclosed. A first part of the device is worn on the user and second part of the device is movable against the second part to accentuate the frequency of movements.

An integrated self-sustainable power supply includes a piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) beam, a power management unit (PMU) circuit located on the PEH beam, a rechargeable battery located on the PEH beam, and a positive regulated power supply output and a negative regulated power supply output. The PMU circuit includes electrical inputs/outputs. The rechargeable battery includes a negative access pad and a positive access pad, which are in electrical communication with the electrical inputs/outputs of the PMU circuit. The positive regulated power supply output and the negative regulated power supply output are also in electrical communication with the electrical inputs/outputs of the PMU circuit.

Smart dental implant systems and methods for ambulatory dental care are provided. In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes a crown, adapted to mimic a patient's anatomy and location of the smart dental implant system. The crown can include piezoelectric nanoparticles, disposed on a surface of the crown and adapted to generate electricity from a patient's oral motion. In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes an abutment, coupled to the crown. The abutment can include an energy harvesting circuit, operationally coupled to the piezoelectric nanoparticles and adapted to harvest the electricity, and a micro LED array, operationally coupled to the energy harvesting circuit and adapted to photobiomodulate surrounding peri-implant soft tissue.

Systems and methods using a network of wearable devices to support secure payment for a user are described. The network of wearable devices may include a wearable secure unit including a first short-range transceiver, a wearable sensory unit including a second short-range transceiver, and a wearable communication unit including a third short-range transceiver and a long-range transceiver. The systems and methods may include receiving a transaction request from a merchant device. Thereafter, the systems and methods may obtain information from the wearable secure unit configured to provide an environment in which processes and data are securely stored and executed. The systems and methods may also obtain information from the wearable sensory unit configured to capture and compare biometrics of the user with a stored profile. Based on the obtained information, the systems and methods may instruct the wearable communication unit to transmit to the merchant device user authentication data.

Piezoelectric devices mountable on a rigid mechanical structure are described. A piezoelectric device includes one or more piezoelectric elements and one or more supporting structures. A respective supporting structure of the one or more supporting structures has a flat or non-flat surface and is mechanically coupled with a piezoelectric element of the one or more piezoelectric elements so that a mechanical force on the one or more supporting structures is converted into an electrical signal by the one or more piezoelectric elements. A piezoelectric device system including two or more piezoelectric devices and a method for generating electrical signals are also described.

A MEMS component is described herein, which according to one exemplary embodiment includes: a semiconductor body; an insulation layer arranged on the semiconductor body; a boundary structure arranged on the insulation layer, the semiconductor body including an opening below the boundary structure; first and second structured electrodes arranged on the insulation layer; and a piezoelectric layer comprising a thermoplastic, and at least partially bounded by the boundary structure and arranged on the insulation layer and on the first and second electrodes.