Sooner or later smart devices may be able to use human body as their energy source. This milestone could be reached with the help of Scientists from Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI). They have detailed an innovative solution for powering the new generation of electronic devices by using Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs) including a step-by-step guide on how to construct these energy harvesters. Along with human movements, TENGs are able to harvest energy from common energy sources such as wind, waves, and machine vibrations. The study introduces a “TENG power transfer equation” and “TENG impedance plots” tools, which will help improve the design for power output of TENGs.
A TENG is an energy absorbing device that uses the contact between two or more materials (hybrid, organic or inorganic) to generate electric current.
Director of the ATI said: “A world where energy is free and renewable is a cause that we are extremely passionate about here at the ATI (and the University of Surrey) – TENGs could play a major role in making this dream a reality. TENGs are ideal for powering wearables, internet of things devices and self-powered electronic applications. This research puts the ATI in a world leading position for designing optimized energy harvesters.”
One of the PhD students and lead scientist on the project also said: “I am extremely excited with this new study which redefines the way we understand energy harvesting. The new tools developed here will help researchers all over the world to exploit the true potential of triboelectric nanogenerators, and to design optimised energy harvesting units for custom applications.”
Source: rdmag.com
