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

The fast growth of smart electronics requires novel solutions to power them sustainably. This paper reports a novel elastic impact-based nonresonant hybridized generator (EINR-HG) to effectively harvest biomechanical energy from diverse human activities. It integrates a nonlinear electromagnetic generator with two contact-mode triboelectric nanogenerators to generate hybrid electrical output simultaneously.

• Development of an elastic impact-based nonresonant hybridized generator (EINR-HG).
• Integration of a nonlinear EMG with two contact-mode TENGs.
• Achieved significant improvement in energy harvesting efficiency through a flux-concentrator and surface modification.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a universal power source for commercial smart electronics like smart bands and smartphones.

The EINR-HG was designed by integrating a nonlinear electromagnetic generator with two triboelectric nanogenerators. Its efficiency was improved by using a flux-concentrator and modifying surfaces with nanowire-nanofibers. The device was optimized through simulations and vibration tests, and its performance was evaluated under human motion, such as horizontal handshaking, using a custom power management circuit.

The EINR-HG delivers an outstanding normalized power density of 3.13 mW cm⁻³ g⁻² at 6 Hz under 1 g acceleration. With horizontal handshaking, it generates an optimal output power of 131.4 mW. It successfully drives commercial smart electronics, demonstrating its potential for powering personal and portable healthcare devices.