Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Electrostatic power harvesting for material computing

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We describe a novel wearable energy-harvesting system based on the phenomenon of contact electrification: when two materials are brought into contact and then separated, they are often found to be charged. By patterning circuits out of textiles with specific electronic properties, we can collect and channel these transferred charges to power-harvesting circuitry. As a demonstration of this principle, we have designed and built a garment to display the wearer’s ongoing level of physical activity by powering strings of LEDs using only the energy generated in the garment’s motion. Finally, the methods we describe are not limited to textiles but are applicable to material computing in general.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Weiser M (1991) The computer for the 21st century. Sci Am 265(3):94–104. September 1991

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Paradiso JA, Starner T (2005) Energy scavenging for mobile and wireless electronics. IEEE Pervasive Comput 4(1):18–27

    Google Scholar 

  3. Post ER, Orth M, Russo P, Gershenfeld N (2000) E-broidery: design and fabrication of textile-based computing. IBM Syst J 39(3–4):840–860. ISSN: 0018-8670

    Google Scholar 

  4. Buechley L, Eisenberg M (2007) Fabric pcbs, electronic sequins, and socket buttons: techniques for e-textile craft. Personal Ubiquitous Comput 13(2):133–150. ISSN: 1617-4909. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00779-007-0181-0

  5. Yang R, Qin Y, Li C, Zhu G, Wang GL (2009) Converting biomechanical energy into electricity by a muscle-movement-driven nanogenerator. Nano Lett 9(3):1201–1205

    Google Scholar 

  6. Lee MR, Eckert RD, Forberich K, Dennler G, Brabec CJ, Gaudiana RA (2009) Solar power wires based on organic photovoltaic materials. Science 324(5924):232–235

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Yen BC, Lang JH (2006) A variable-capacitance vibration-to-electric energy harvester. Circuits Syst I Regul Pap IEEE Trans 53(2):288–295. ISSN: 1549-8328

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ida N (2004) Engineering electromagnetics, 2nd edn. Springer, pp 122–123

  9. Priestley J (1775) The history and present state of electricity: with original experiments, Printed for C. Bathurst, and T. Lowndes, p 89

  10. “tribo-, comb. form” The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. OED online. Oxford University Press. 4 Apr. 2000 http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50257487

  11. Lowell J, Rose-Innes AC (1980) Contact electrification. Adv Phys 29(6):947–1023. 1980. ISSN: 0001-8732

    Google Scholar 

  12. Shaw PE, Jex CS (1928) Tribo-electricity and friction. iii. solid elements and textiles. Proc R Soc London Ser A 118(779):108–113. ISSN: 09501207

    Google Scholar 

  13. Bailey AG (2001) The charging of insulator surfaces. J Electrostat 51–52:82–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. URL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triboelectric_effect

  15. Standard test method for evaluating triboelectric charge generation and decay. Kennedy Space Center, Spaceport Engineering & Technology Labs Division, November 15 2002

  16. Fluoropolymer comparison: typical properties, 2009. URL http://www2.dupont.com/Teflon_Industrial/en_US/tech_info/techinfo_compare.htm

  17. Pratt TH (2000) Electrostatic ignitions of fires and explosions. Wiley, London

  18. Maccioni M, Orgiu E, Cosseddu P, Locci S, Bonfiglio A (2006) Towards the textile transistor: assembly and characterization of an organic field effect transistor with a cylindrical geometry. Appl Phys Lett 89(14)http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.235703 URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.235703

  19. Hamedi M, Forchheimer R, Inganas O (2007) Towards woven logic from organic electronic fibres. Nat Mater 6(5):357–362. URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat1884

    Google Scholar 

  20. Lee JB, Subramanian V (2005) Weave patterned organic transistors on fiber for e-textiles. Electron Dev IEEE Trans 52(2):269–275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TED.2004.84133 URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TED.2004.841331

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Lenny Foner for lending his sewing machine in a time of need; to Sandra Waal for her sewing skills and moral support; to Wil Howitt for many interesting discussions; and to Christine Liu, Lisa Monrose and Amanda Parkes for organizing the Seamless v.3 fashion show that initially motivated this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Rehmi Post.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Post, E.R., Waal, K. Electrostatic power harvesting for material computing. Pers Ubiquit Comput 15, 115–121 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-010-0313-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-010-0313-9

Keywords

Navigation