This paper proposes and demonstrates an efficient energy harvesting scheme for general human motion by using piezoelectric shell structures. Although human motion is random and slow movement, fast transition of shell structure can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy efficiently. The shell structure was formed by attaching a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film on curved polymer film manufactured by heat treatment. The shell structure generates much higher output voltage compared with a flat structure. Fabric with embedded shell structure is used for wearing a harvester. We could obtain much higher output power from a slow motion of human elbow joint by using proposed shell structure.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.