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Description
Technological advances in low power wearable electronics and energy optimization techniques
make motion energy harvesting a viable energy source. However, it has not been
widely adopted due to bulky energy harvester designs that are uncomfortable to wear. This
work addresses this problem by analyzing the feasibility of powering low wearable power
devices using piezoelectric energy generated at the human knee. We start with a novel
mathematical model for estimating the power generated from human knee joint movements.
This thesis’s major contribution is to analyze the feasibility of human motion energy harvesting
and validating this analytical model using a commercially available piezoelectric
module. To this end, we implemented an experimental setup that replicates a human knee.
Then, we performed experiments at different excitation frequencies and amplitudes with
two commercially available Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) modules. These experimental
results are used to validate the analytical model and predict the energy harvested as a function
of the number of steps taken in a day. The model estimates that 13μWcan be generated
on an average while walking with a 4.8% modeling error. The obtained results show that
piezoelectricity is indeed a viable approach for powering low-power wearable devices.
make motion energy harvesting a viable energy source. However, it has not been
widely adopted due to bulky energy harvester designs that are uncomfortable to wear. This
work addresses this problem by analyzing the feasibility of powering low wearable power
devices using piezoelectric energy generated at the human knee. We start with a novel
mathematical model for estimating the power generated from human knee joint movements.
This thesis’s major contribution is to analyze the feasibility of human motion energy harvesting
and validating this analytical model using a commercially available piezoelectric
module. To this end, we implemented an experimental setup that replicates a human knee.
Then, we performed experiments at different excitation frequencies and amplitudes with
two commercially available Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) modules. These experimental
results are used to validate the analytical model and predict the energy harvested as a function
of the number of steps taken in a day. The model estimates that 13μWcan be generated
on an average while walking with a 4.8% modeling error. The obtained results show that
piezoelectricity is indeed a viable approach for powering low-power wearable devices.
ContributorsBandyopadhyay, Shiva (Author) / Ogras, Umit Y. (Thesis advisor) / Fan, Deliang (Committee member) / Trichopoulos, Georgios (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020