Development of an electrostatic generator that harnesses the motion of a living body (use of a resonant phenomenon)

Citation
R. Tashiro et al., Development of an electrostatic generator that harnesses the motion of a living body (use of a resonant phenomenon), JSME C, 43(4), 2000, pp. 916-922
Citations number
8
Categorie Soggetti
Mechanical Engineering
Journal title
JSME INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL SERIES C-MECHANICAL SYSTEMS MACHINE ELEMENTS AND MANUFACTURING
ISSN journal
13447653 → ACNP
Volume
43
Issue
4
Year of publication
2000
Pages
916 - 922
Database
ISI
SICI code
1344-7653(200012)43:4<916:DOAEGT>2.0.ZU;2-H
Abstract
We aimed for permanently supplying the electrical energy to an apparatus fo r in vivo use such as a cardiac pacemaker and proposed and developed an ele ctrostatic (ES) generator that harnesses the motion of the living body. The generating system consists of a battery as an initial charge supply (ICS), a variable capacitor (VC) in which mechanical energy is converted to elect rical energy, a capacitor for energy storage and two rectifiers. In this st udy, an ES generator which does not consume electrical energy of the ICS wa s used. Since high frequency driving of the VC leads to large power generat ion, it is effective to introduce a resonant phenomenon. A honeycomb-type v ariable capacitor whose capacitance varies from approximately 32 to 200 [nF ] was used as the VC. The resonator (resonant frequency 4.76 [Hz]) which co nsists of a honeycomb-type VC, tension coil springs and mass was made. It w as possible to generate electrical power of 58 [muW] in case of the ICS wit h constant voltage of 24 [V] and a load with resistance of 1.0 [M Omega]. W e found that use of resonant phenomenon was effective to increase generated power.