Wayne State University

AIM HIGHER

Technology Commercialization

High Voltage Vibration Energy Harvesting Device

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Categories
Energy
Summary
Current vibration energy harvesting devices typically employ piezoelectric bimorph or a bimorph with a shim in the middle. Wayne State University researchers have designed an energy harvesting device using an air-space piezoelectric cantilever instead of the piezoelectric bimorph. The use of the air-space cantilevers produces the following advantages over current energy harvesting device design: - Significant increase in voltage generated - Increase in efficiency of converting vibration mechanical energy to electrical energy (<90%) A prototype of this design has been built and successfully tested confirming the analytical advantages above. This invention will be valued in a variety of applications including PDAs, cell phones, vehicle tire pressure sensor monitors, wireless sensor network as well as medical devices such as pace makers.
File number
07-847, 07-865
Publications
Patent protection is pending.
Contact
Lori Simoes Technology Licensing Manager Phone: 313-577-5541 Fax : 313-577-2814 lori.simoes@wayne.edu