Biomechanical Energy‐Driven Hybridized Generator as a Universal Portable Power Source for Smart/Wearable Electronics

TLDR

Smart electronics demand sustainable power, and harvesting biomechanical energy offers a promising solution to reduce battery dependence. The study reports a novel elastic impact‑based nonresonant hybridized generator (EINR‑HG) designed to harvest biomechanical energy from diverse human activities outdoors. The EINR‑HG integrates a nonlinear electromagnetic generator with two contact‑mode triboelectric nanogenerators and a flux‑concentrator featuring nanowire‑nanofiber surface modification to produce hybrid electrical output under the same mechanical excitations. Optimized simulations and vibration tests show the EINR‑HG achieves a normalized power density of 3.13 mW cm⁻³ g⁻² at 1.5 kΩ, 6 Hz, 1 g, while human motion tests yield 131.4 mW during handshaking, enabling it to power smart bands, smartphones, and other personal electronics.

Abstract

Abstract The fast growth of smart electronics requires novel solutions to power them sustainably. Portable power sources capable of harvesting biomechanical energy are a promising modern approach to reduce battery dependency. Herein, a novel elastic impact‐based nonresonant hybridized generator (EINR‐HG) is reported to effectively harvest biomechanical energy from diverse human activities outdoors. Through the rational integration of a nonlinear electromagnetic generator with two contact‐mode triboelectric nanogenerators, the proposed EINR‐HG generates hybrid electrical output simultaneously under the same mechanical excitations. By introducing a flux‐concentrator with a nanowire‐nanofiber surface modification, significant improvement in the energy harvesting efficiency of the EINR‐HG is achieved. After optimizing using simulations and vibration tests, the as‐fabricated EINR‐HG delivers an outstanding normalized power density of 3.13 mW cm −3 g −2 across a matching resistance of 1.5 kΩ at 6 Hz under 1 g acceleration. Under human motion testing, the EINR‐HG generates an optimal output power of 131.4 mW with horizontal handshaking. With a customized power management circuit, the EINR‐HG serves as a universal power source that successfully drives commercial smart electronics, including smart bands and smartphones. This work shows the massive potential of biomechanical energy‐driven hybridized generators for powering personal electronics and portable healthcare monitoring devices.