An energy harvesting module includes a pendular unit with piezoelectric transducer elastically deformable in bending between a clamped end and a free end coupled to an inertial mass. The piezoelectric transducer includes two coplanar piezoelectric beams arranged side-by-side on either side of a central axis of the transducer, each of the piezoelectric beams including adjacent external and internal arms, arranged side-by-side and formed single-piece. The external arm of each beam has a clamped proximal end and a free distal end, and the internal arm of each beam has a free proximal end supporting the inertial mass, and a free distal end connected to the distal end of the adjacent external arm by a common junction.

A module includes a pendular unit with piezoelectric transducer elastically deformable in bending with a clamped end and a free end coupled to an inertial mass. The piezoelectric transducer includes at least one piezoelectric beam configured into two adjacent arms formed single-piece, with an external arm and an internal arm arranged side-by-side. The external arm has a clamped proximal end and a free distal end, and the internal arm has a free proximal end supporting the inertial mass, and a free distal end connected to the distal end of the adjacent external arm. An annular mount surrounds the beam at its proximal end and includes the clamp to which is fastened the proximal end of the external arm. The mount includes, in a central region in the vicinity of the clamp, a cavity inside which the inertial mass carried by the free proximal end of the internal arm can oscillate.

Thermo-electric generator which is intended to be immersed in a fluid which contains at least one chemical species, comprising two electrodes each having a first end and a second end, the first ends being connected to each other, the generator being configured to generate an electrical voltage between the two ends when a temperature difference is imposed between each first end and the corresponding second end, the temperature difference being such that one end, referred to as the “hot end”, of each electrode has a temperature which is strictly greater than the temperature of the other end. The hot end of at least one electrode comprises a micro-organism or an enzyme which is capable of causing at least one exothermic reaction involving the chemical species.

An energy harvesting device includes a housing (2), a moveable device (12) disposed within the housing and including a first surface including a first material (15) and a second surface including a second material (17), wherein the moveable device is operable to move to bring the first and second surfaces together and apart to cause contact and separation between the first and second materials, a first strap (4) attached to the housing, a second strap (6) coupled to the moveable device, wherein movement of the second strap causes operation of the moveable device, and electronic circuitry (20) structured to harvest energy from the electrical charge generated by the contact between the first and second materials.

The present invention relates to an electrochemical device for releasing ions, comprising an electrical circuit comprising a first electrode and a second electrode adapted for providing a galvanic cell when the electrodes are exposed to a fluid constituting an electrolyte, and a boost converter adapted for amplifying a potential generated between the first and the second electrode. The electrical circuit further comprises a third electrode connected with an output side of the boost converter, wherein the second and the third electrode constitutes an electrolytic cell powered by the galvanic cell when the electrodes are exposed to a fluid. The present invention further relates to devices, such as a toothbrush or a shaver, adapted for being used in connection with a fluid, comprising such electrochemical device for releasing ions.

The implant comprises a tubular body housing an energy harvesting module adapted to convert external stresses applied to the implant into electrical energy, and a rechargeable battery adapted to be charged by the energy harvesting module. During the storage, an external source physically separated from the implant is coupled to the implant rechargeable battery to maintain a minimum battery charge level. An interface circuit of the implant couples surface electrodes to the battery, with switching between: i) a transport and storage configuration where the electrodes are connected to the external source to receive from the latter a battery charging energy and/or to exchange communication signals with the outside through the wire link of the coupling; and ii) a functional configuration in which the surface electrodes are decoupled from the external source after the implant has been implanted. At least one of the implant surface electrodes is an auxiliary electrode that is not a cardiac potential detection/pacing electrode. In the transport and storage configuration, the interface circuit couple the auxiliary electrode to the implant rechargeable battery, and in the functional configuration, the interface circuit decouples the auxiliary electrode from the implant rechargeable battery and put the auxiliary electrode to a floating potential.

An autonomous intracorporeal capsule comprises a body containing electronic circuits and an energy harvesting module. The energy harvesting module comprises a moveable surface on the body of the capsule, subjected to pressure variations and to produce a mechanical stress under the effect of the pressure variations, and a transducer comprising a deformable piezoelectric component configured as a beam adapted to be forced to bend. The piezoelectric component has a recessed end integral with the capsule and a free end. A mechanical connection couples the free end of the piezoelectric component to the actuator. The mechanical connection may provide a degree of freedom in rotation between a main direction of the beam and the direction of application of the mechanical stress.

A wireless power transmission system, according to some implementations, includes: an antenna configured to transmit radio frequency signals for both data transmission and power transmission; and a wireless device coupled with the antenna, the wireless device configured to cause the antenna to transmit the radio frequency signals for the data transmission and the power transmission; wherein the wireless device includes a communication module configured to perform data transmission operations with respect to power transmission operations according to a temporal schedule; and wherein the temporal schedule specifies occurrence of the data transmission operations and the power transmission operations at different intervals.

A medical implant including an implant body for insertion into a human and/or animal body. The implant body includes at least one first and at least one second contact portion, wherein the at least one first and the at least one second contact portions contact two tissue regions performing a relative movement with respect to one another. The at least one first and the at least one second contact portions are movable relative to one another, wherein a relative movement of the contact portions may be converted into an electrical signal.

Intraoral neuromodulation for the treatment clinical conditions such as, e.g., dysphagia, migraines, or speech problems can be achieved with a neuromodulation system that includes an intraoral neural stimulator, e.g., integrated into a wearable device to be positioned in the oral cavity, that is controlled based on one or more measured signals associated with an intraoral organ or nerve related to the clinical condition.