Conformal Piezoelectric Mechanical Energy Harvesters: Mechanically Invisible Human Dynamos

Nearly all classes of wearable and implantable biomedical devices depend on battery power for continuous operation. However, the life span of batteries is limited, rarely exceeding a few hours for wearables and a few years for implants. Consequently, battery replacements and, often times, surgical procedures are required to change the depleted batteries of implants, exposing people to high risks of surgical complications and/or high financial costs. This project seeks to develop conformal piezoelectric patches integrated to personal garments to extract energy from body movements such as motion of arms, fingers, and legs. The completion of this project could improve the quality life of people and potentially provide environmentally friendly power.