Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A high-power and high-efficiency mini generator for scavenging energy from human foot movement

  • Article
  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Harvesting energy from human movement and converting it into electricity is a promising method to address the issue of sustainable power supply for wearable electronic devices. Using traditional energy harvesters for practical applications is difficult due to their low output power. In this paper, an energy harvester with high power and efficiency is reported based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. It adopts a tiny compound mechanism comprising symmetrical lever-sector gear, which can amplify the vertical displacement of the human heel of 1.44 times without affecting the flexibility and comfort of human movement. The lever-sector gear and gear acceleration mechanism can achieve high output power from the tiny vertical movements of the heel. The results demonstrated that the average power and energy harvesting efficiency of the device are 1 W and 63%, respectively. Moreover, combining a novel controllable electric switch and energy management circuit allows the energy harvester to be worn by individuals with different weights and functions as a continuous real-time power supply for various electronic devices (mobile phones, smartwatches, etc.). Therefore, this research provides a new approach for the highly efficient harvesting of human motion energy and sustainable power supply of wearable electronics.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Fan K, Liu J, Cai M, et al. Exploiting ultralow-frequency energy via vibration-to-rotation conversion of a rope-spun rotor. Energy Convers Manage, 2020, 225: 113433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Wang L, Fei Z, Qi Y, et al. Overview of human kinetic energy harvesting and application. ACS Appl Energy Mater, 2022, 5: 7091–7114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Halim M A, Rantz R, Zhang Q, et al. An electromagnetic rotational energy harvester using sprung eccentric rotor, driven by pseudo-walking motion. Appl Energy, 2018, 217: 66–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Myers A, Hodges R, Jur J S. Human and environmental analysis of wearable thermal energy harvesting. Energy Convers Manage, 2017, 143: 218–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wang S, Miao G, Zhou S, et al. A novel electromagnetic energy harvester based on the bending of the sole. Appl Energy, 2022, 314: 119000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Su K, Lin X, Liu Z, et al. Wearable triboelectric nanogenerator with ground-coupled electrode for biomechanical energy harvesting and sensing. Biosensors, 2023, 13: 548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Gao F, Liu G, Chung B L H, et al. Macro fiber composite-based energy harvester for human knee. Appl Phys Lett, 2019, 115: 033901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Zhang L, Meng B, Tian Y, et al. Vortex-induced vibration triboelectric nanogenerator for low speed wind energy harvesting. Nano Energy, 2022, 95: 107029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kannan N, Vakeesan D. Solar energy for future world: A review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2016, 62: 1092–1105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Shi Y, Guo M, Zhong H, et al. Kinetic walking energy harvester design for a wearable bowden cable-actuated exoskeleton robot. Micromachines, 2022, 13: 571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Baños R, Manzano-Agugliaro F, Montoya F G, et al. Optimization methods applied to renewable and sustainable energy: A review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2011, 15: 1753–1766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Xie L, Cai M. Human motion: Sustainable power for wearable electronics. IEEE Pervasive Comput, 2014, 13: 42–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hamid R, Yuce M R. A wearable energy harvester unit using piezoelectric-electromagnetic hybrid technique. Sens Actuat A-Phys, 2017, 257: 198–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Qian F, Xu T B, Zuo L. Design, optimization, modeling and testing of a piezoelectric footwear energy harvester. Energy Convers Manage, 2018, 171: 1352–1364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Fan K, Xia P, Li R, et al. An innovative energy harvesting backpack strategy through a flexible mechanical motion rectifier. Energy Convers Manage, 2022, 264: 115731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Zhu Z, Liang X, Luo H, et al. Flexible self-powered energy systems based on H2O/Ni2+ intercalated NixV2O5·nH2O. Chem Eur J, 2023, 29: e202301583

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Li C, Wang P, Zhang D. Self-healable, stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators based on flexible polyimide for energy harvesting and self-powered sensors. Nano Energy, 2023, 109: 108285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhang X, Liu M, Zhang Z, et al. Highly durable bidirectional rotary triboelectric nanogenerator with a self-lubricating texture and self-adapting contact synergy for wearable applications. Small, 2023, 19: 2300890

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Qian F, Xu T B, Zuo L. Material equivalence, modeling and experimental validation of a piezoelectric boot energy harvester. Smart Mater Struct, 2019, 28: 075018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhao C, Niu J, Zhang Y, et al. Coaxially aligned MWCNTs improve performance of electrospun P(VDF-TrFE)-based fibrous membrane applied in wearable piezoelectric nanogenerator. Compos Part B-Eng, 2019, 178: 107447

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Yoon C, Ippili S, Jella V, et al. Synergistic contribution of flexoelectricity and piezoelectricity towards a stretchable robust nanogenerator for wearable electronics. Nano Energy, 2022, 91: 106691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Iqbal M, Nauman M M, Khan F U, et al. Nonlinear multi-mode electromagnetic insole energy harvester for human-powered body monitoring sensors: Design, modeling, and characterization. Proc Institution Mech Engineers Part C-J Mech Eng Sci, 2021, 235: 6415–6426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Li Z, Luo J, Xie S, et al. Instantaneous peak 2.1 W-level hybrid energy harvesting from human motions for self-charging battery-powered electronics. Nano Energy, 2021, 81: 105629

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang Z, Wu X, Zhang Y, et al. A new portable energy harvesting device mounted on shoes: Performance and impact on wearer. Energies, 2020, 13: 3871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Anjum M U, Fida A, Ahmad I, et al. A broadband electromagnetic type energy harvester for smart sensor devices in biomedical applications. Sens Actuat A-Phys, 2018, 277: 52–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Yu J, Xian S, Zhang Z, et al. Synergistic piezoelectricity enhanced BaTiO3/polyacrylonitrile elastomer-based highly sensitive pressure sensor for intelligent sensing and posture recognition applications. Nano Res, 2023, 16: 5490–5502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Shin D C, Jin B E. Do fur coats symbolize status or stigma? Examining the effect of perceived stigma on female consumers’ purchase intentions toward fur coats. Fash Text, 2021, 8: 10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Khalid S, Raouf I, Khan A, et al. A review of human-powered energy harvesting for smart electronics: Recent progress and challenges. Int J Precis Eng Manuf-Green Tech, 2019, 6: 821–851

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Wang W, Xu J, Zheng H, et al. A spring-assisted hybrid triboelectric-electromagnetic nanogenerator for harvesting low-frequency vibration energy and creating a self-powered security system. Nanoscale, 2018, 10: 14747–14754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Fan J, Xiong C H, Huang Z K, et al. A lightweight biomechanical energy harvester with high power density and low metabolic cost. Energy Convers Manage, 2019, 195: 641–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Zhou N, Hou Z, Zhang Y, et al. Enhanced swing electromagnetic energy harvesting from human motion. Energy, 2021, 228: 120591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ylli K, Hoffmann D, Willmann A, et al. Energy harvesting from human motion: Exploiting swing and shock excitations. Smart Mater Struct, 2015, 24: 025029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Liu M, Qian F, Mi J, et al. Biomechanical energy harvesting for wearable and mobile devices: State-of-the-art and future directions. Appl Energy, 2022, 321: 119379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Halim M A, Cho H, Salauddin M, et al. A miniaturized electromagnetic vibration energy harvester using flux-guided magnet stacks for human-body-induced motion. Sens Actuat A-Phys, 2016, 249: 23–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Cai M, Liao W H. Enhanced electromagnetic wrist-worn energy harvester using repulsive magnetic spring. Mech Syst Signal Processing, 2021, 150: 107251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Maharjan P, Bhatta T, Salauddin Rasel M, et al. High-performance cycloid inspired wearable electromagnetic energy harvester for scavenging human motion energy. Appl Energy, 2019, 256: 113987

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Luo A, Zhang Y, Dai X, et al. An inertial rotary energy harvester for vibrations at ultra-low frequency with high energy conversion efficiency. Appl Energy, 2020, 279: 115762

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Akay H, Xu R, Han D, et al. Energy Harvesting Combat Boot for Satellite Positioning. Micromachines, 2018, 9: 244

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Technology on Electronic Test and Measurement Laboratory, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China

    Hui Wu, XiaoJuan Hou, JuanHong Zhao, Jie Zhang, XiaoGuang Song, WenPing Geng, JiLiang Mu, Jian He & XiuJian Chou

  2. School of Software, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China

    Shuo Qian

  3. School of Information and Communication Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China

    YanLi Liu

  4. School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Architecture, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China

    ShuZheng Shi

Authors
  1. Hui Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shuo Qian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. XiaoJuan Hou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. JuanHong Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jie Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. XiaoGuang Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. YanLi Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. ShuZheng Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. WenPing Geng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. JiLiang Mu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Jian He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. XiuJian Chou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jian He.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2019YFE0120300), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 62171414, 52175554, 52205608, 62171415, and 62001431), the Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province (Grant Nos. 20210302123059 and 20210302124610), and the Program for the Scientific and Technological Innovation Programs of Higher Education Institutions in Shanxi (Grant No. 2020L0316).

Supporting Information

The supporting information is available online at tech.scichina.com and link.springer.com. The supporting materials are published as submitted, without typesetting or editing. The responsibility for scientific accuracy and content remains entirely with the authors.

Supplementary reference

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, H., Qian, S., Hou, X. et al. A high-power and high-efficiency mini generator for scavenging energy from human foot movement. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 66, 3381–3392 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-023-2531-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-023-2531-9

Search

Navigation