According to the disclosed embodiments, an on-die capacitor utilized in energy-harvest based circuits is provided. In the disclosed design, the harvester is coupled to the on-die capacitor, thus there is no need to provide power interfaces and semi-conductor devices external to the IC. The disclosed design of the on-die capacitor would reduce the overall size and cost of the IC.

A vibrational lens is disclosed. The vibrational lens comprises at least two focusing plates each having a proximal and distal end. The separation between the distal ends of the at least two focusing plates is less than the separation between the proximal ends of the at least two focusing plates. The vibrational lens transmits, converges and focuses vibrational energy from a source to an energy conversion means such as piezoelectric crystals. The vibrational lens may also comprise a bimetallic structure to convert thermal fluctuations into mechanical displacement. The vibrational lens is suitable for use in a vibrational and or thermal energy harvesting system. Advantageously, the vibrational lens improves the energy efficiency of, for example, an internal combustion engine whilst mitigating the need for vibrational damping mechanisms and or thermal insulation.

A power generating element is provided that includes first and second plate-like structures, a pedestal that supports the first plate-like structure, and first and second piezoelectric elements that generate charges on the basis of the deflections of the two plate-like structures. A base end portion of the first plate-like structure is connected to the pedestal, and a direction from the base end portion toward the tip end portion of the first plate-like structure is a Y-axis positive direction. A base end portion of the second plate-like structure is connected to the tip end portion of the first plate-like structure via a connection body, and a direction from the base end portion toward the tip end portion of the second plate-like structure is a Y-axis negative direction. A frequency band of a half-value width of a resonance system formed on the basis of the flexibility of the second plate-like structure at least partially overlaps a frequency band of a half-value width of a resonance system formed on the basis of the flexibility of the first plate-like structure.

A sensing device is provided. The sensing device includes a heat regulation mechanism to regulate a temperature of a piezoelectric resonator corresponding to a voltage, and uses a sensing sensor to cause a sensing object to adsorb to and desorb from the piezoelectric resonator by increase and decrease of the temperature. A drive voltage is regulated to regulate an amplification factor of a heat regulation voltage input to a drive voltage regulator that regulates the temperature of the heat regulation mechanism corresponding to the type of a sensing sensor connected to a device main body. Therefore, when a CQCM sensor that heats a crystal resonator using a heater circuit and a TQCM sensor that regulates a heat of the crystal resonator sing a Peltier element are each used, regulation ranges of the driving powers supplied to the respective heater circuit and Peltier element can be changed.

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 vibrational lens is disclosed. The vibrational lens comprises at least two focusing plates each having a proximal and distal end. The separation between the distal ends of the at least two focusing plates is less than the separation between the proximal ends of the at least two focusing plates. The vibrational lens transmits, converges and focuses vibrational energy from a source to an energy conversion means such as piezoelectric crystals. The vibrational lens may also comprise a bimetallic structure to convert thermal fluctuations into mechanical displacement. The vibrational lens is suitable for use in a vibrational and or thermal energy harvesting system. Advantageously, the vibrational lens improves the energy efficiency of, for example, an internal combustion engine whilst mitigating the need for vibrational damping mechanisms and or thermal insulation.

The energy harvesting module is provided with a pendular unit comprising an inertial mass coupled to an elastic piezoelectric beam providing a power voltage. An acceleration sensor provides a signal representative of the instantaneous acceleration of the beam in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the beam, and an angular speed sensor provides a signal representative of the instantaneous angular speed of rotation of the beam about an axis perpendicular to a plane of bending of the beam. Based on the voltage, acceleration and angular speed values, a beam integrity monitoring circuit estimates parameters of a mechanical-electrical transfer function and derives therefrom metrics representative of physical and electrical parameters of the pendular unit and of the material of the beam. This makes it possible to evaluate the proper operation of the energy harvester and to detect a potential performance decrease liable to lead to a failure in the more or less short term.

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 shoe insoles, midsoles or outsoles, garments, bras, handbags, backpacks, and the like.

A sensor network that is easy to deploy and substantially maintenance-free is disclosed. Sensor networks in accordance with the present invention include a base station and at least one sensor node that is operative for monitoring the occupancy of an area and wirelessly communicating information to the base station. The sensor node includes an energy harvester for converting ambient energy into electrical energy and an energy manager that enables self-powering of the sensor node using only the electrical energy derived from the ambient energy. The energy manager also includes a cold-start module that enables initiation of sensor-node operation even in the absence of any stored energy onboard the sensor node.

In an example, an energy harvesting system includes a support apparatus and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element may be configured as a plate supported at its periphery by the support apparatus to enable a central portion of the piezoelectric element to move along an axis that is orthogonal to a contact surface of the plate. A body having a mass is configured to move in a direction that is substantially parallel to the axis of the plate and apply force to deform the contact surface of the plate, such that electrical energy is generated by the piezoelectric element based on the applied force.