Non-ideal energy harvester with piezoelectric coupling

Abstract

© 2018, Springer International Publishing AG. Advances in silicon electronics and MEMS technology reduced significantly the power consumption of devices such as wireless sensors, portable and wearable electronics. A large number of the locations where those devices are used are either remote or inaccessible. Most of these low-power devices rely heavily on electromechanical batteries as a source of power. However, batteries have a limited life span and number of recharging cycles. They are also constantly in need for recharging or replacement. For application such as wireless sensing and remote monitoring, battery replacement or recharging can be expensive, challenging or impossible in some cases. Another serious problem with batteries is the fact that they contain hazardous chemical materials that are harmful to the environment if not recycled.