Release date: 2014-11-12
A joint research team at the University of Quebec Institute of Advanced Technology and Sonomax Technology, Inc., created a chin tray made of "smart material" piezoelectric fiber composite (PFC) that can extract energy from the jaw chewing movement. Small-scale power supplies provide power to implantable or wearable electronic devices. The results of the study have been published in the latest issue of the journal Smart Materials and Structure.
The movement of the jaw has proven to be one of the most promising candidates for generating electricity from human motion. The researchers speculate that an average of about 7 milliwatts (mW) of power is produced in a person's eating and chewing. They hope that the device can generate electricity from eating, chewing and talking, providing power for hearing aids, cochlear implants, electronic hearing protectors, and implantable or wearable electronic devices.
To harvest this energy, the researchers used PFC smart materials to make the chin rest. PFC is a piezoelectric smart material consisting of an integrated electrode and a binder polymer matrix. The material is capable of generating an electrical charge as it extends to undergo mechanical stress.
According to a recent report by the Physicist Organization Network, the researchers created a chin strap made of a single layer of PFC and attached it to a pair of earmuffs using a pair of elastic side straps. To ensure maximum performance, the jaw strap fits snugly against the user's chin so that it pulls the strap when it is in motion.
Upon testing the performance of the device, the subject was asked to chew gum for 60 seconds and wear a head mounted device. As a result, the maximum power harvested by the researchers from the movement of the jaw was about 18 microwatts (μW), while the optimal power of the head-mounted device was only about 10 microwatts.
The researchers said: "In view of the average power of chewing is about 7 milliwatts (mW), there is still a long way to go to improve the performance of this device. The current power is almost completely unable to provide electricity for electrical equipment, however, we can Adding more PFC layers to the sling to increase power output, for example, using 20 PFC layers, for a total thickness of 6 mm, will be able to drive a 200 microwatt smart hearing protector."
“The only expensive part of this energy harvesting device is the single-layer PFC, which costs around $20, considering the price, short battery life and environmental costs,†the researchers said. “We estimate that based on the energy harvesting of the chinstrom equipment. The self-powered hearing protector will recoup the investment after three years."
Source: China Science and Technology Network - Technology Daily
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