A method is provided for producing an electrically-powered device and/or component that is embeddable in a solid structural component, and a system, a produced device and/or a produced component is provided. The produced electrically powered device includes an attached autonomous electrical power source in a form of a unique, environmentally-friendly structure configured to transform thermal energy at any temperature above absolute zero to an electric potential without any external stimulus including physical movement or deformation energy. The autonomous electrical power source component provides a mechanism for generating renewable energy as primary power for the electrically-powered device and/or component once an integrated structure including the device and/or component is deployed in an environment that restricts future access to the electrical power source for servicing, recharge, replacement, replenishment or the like.

The invention discloses a device for collection of tiny charges in the Nano-Coulomb-range and below, comprising at least one capacitor stack build by n capacitors and 2n switches (nϵN), at least one further capacitor outside the capacitor stack as buffer capacity, at least two additional switches and a DC input source. The n capacitors are dedicated to be sequentially charged by the DC input source one after the other, wherein the 2n switches in the capacitor stack couple the n capacitors sequentially to the DC input source. The at least one further capacitor is dedicated to be charged from the n capacitors of the capacitor stack at once. Furthermore, the invention discloses a method for small charge collection, comprising the steps of sequentially charging the n capacitors of the at least one capacitor stack by coupling one capacitor after the other to the DC input source by selectively closing the switches and discharging the n capacitors of the capacitor stack into at least one further capacitor outside the capacitor stack (nϵN). Additionally, the usage of the device or the method according to the invention to collect charges from sources with electrical potentials of a few millivolts is disclosed.

A sensory unit for implant-supported dental implants or prostheses. The main unit is composed of two or more subunits, or devices. One of the units is placed in the region of the implant head, and will have the function of transforming the mechanical forces into an electrical signal. It can also be placed in the masticatory region of implant supported bridges or overdenture, to perform the same function, i.e., transforming mechanical loads into an electrical signal. A second unit, will receive by a wired or wireless electronic communication the electrical signal, and will convert it into a neurological stimulus perceived sensorially by the sensory endings of the trigeminal nerve, unilaterally, or bilaterally. This second unit will be arranged in the submucosa, in the vicinity of the nerve ending, taking advantage of the anatomical depressions or recesses in the region, and will establish a gradient of neurological stimulation towards the nerve ending.

A unique, environmentally-friendly micron scale autonomous electrical power source is provided for generating renewable energy, or a renewable energy supplement, in electronic systems, electronic devices and electronic system components. The autonomous electrical power source includes a first conductor with a facing surface conditioned to have a low work function, a second conductor with a facing surface having a comparatively higher work function, and a dielectric layer of not more than 200 Angstroms in thickness sandwiched between the respective facing surfaces of the first conductor and the second conductor. The autonomous electrical power source is configured to harvest minimal thermal energy from any source in an environment above absolute zero. An autonomous electrical power source component is also provided that includes a plurality of autonomous electrical power source constituent elements electrically connected to one another to increase a power output of the autonomous electrical power source.

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. The implant further comprises a data transmitter circuit adapted, in the transport and storage configuration, to send communication signals, via the surface electrodes, on the link coupling to the external source, and/or a data receiver circuit adapted, in the transport and storage configuration, to receive, via the surface electrodes, communication signals transmitted on the link coupling to the external source.

The invention discloses a cardiac pacemaker, characterized in that the cardiac pacemaker comprises a multiple of microneedles and a chip comprising at least one comparator with adaptive level, sequence control circuit, at least one capacitor stack built by n capacitors and 2n switches, at least one buffer capacitor outside the at least one capacitor stack, at least two additional switches outside the at least one capacitor stack, a CMOS-Logic, wherein further, the cardiac pacemaker comprises an interposer layer comprising holes for the multiple of microneedles and a lid. The cardiac pacemaker is characterized in that the chip, is located on one surface of the interposer layer and that the lid and the interposer layer form a capsule for the chip. Further, each microneedle of the array of microneedles has a distal end which protrudes from the chip and the cardiac pacemaker is adapted to be electrically self-sufficient.

An implantable medical device comprises a housing, a circuit board structure arranged within in the housing and comprising at least one flexible section, an electronic module comprising at least one electronic component arranged on the circuit board structure, and an energy storage device for providing electrical energy for operation of the implantable medical device. The energy storage device is a solid-state battery mounted on the circuit board structure. An energy generation device connected to the energy storage device is a secondary cell, wherein the energy generation device is configured to convert patient energy to electrical energy for charging the energy storage device.

A piezoelectric energy harvesting device is provided. The piezoelectric energy harvesting device includes a piezoelectric material, which includes an inner surface having a concave shape, and an outer surface having a bottom surface. The piezoelectric energy harvesting device further includes a ball positioned on the inner surface. The bottom surface acts as a ground, the inner surface acts as a positive node, and the inner surface, the outer surface, and the ball are configured so that movement of the ball causes mechanical stress to the piezoelectric material, producing an electrical current.

The module comprises a pendular unit with an elastically deformable piezoelectric beam having a clamped end and an opposite, free end, coupled to an inertial mass. The beam produces an oscillating electrical signal collected by electrodes, which is rectified and regulated to output a voltage for charging a battery. The number and configuration of the electrodes (T1, T2, B1, B2, N) carried by the piezoelectric beam define a plurality of pairs of electrodes between which a corresponding plurality of said oscillating signals can be simultaneously collected. A switching matrix, as a function of an input command, selectively switches the plurality of pairs of electrodes between each other according to a plurality of different series (S), parallel (P) and/or series-parallel (SP) configurations, the selected configuration being that which maximizes the power sent to the battery as a function of the voltage level (VBAT) present at the terminals of the latter.

An energy harvester includes a frame having a base, a first side member affixed to the base, and a second side member affixed to the base and spaced apart from the first side member. A beam is coupled between the first side member of the frame and the second side member of the frame. The beam has a substrate layer with a first end affixed to the first side member of the frame, a second end affixed to the second side member of the frame, a first face, and a second face opposite to the first face. The substrate is elastically deformable in response to the vibratory force. The beam further includes a first piezoelectric layer joined to the first face of the substrate layer and having a terminal for electrical connection to a load, the first piezoelectric layer comprising at least one piezoelectric patch.