Harvesting kinetic energy with switched-inductor DC-DC converters

The potential application space for miniaturized systems like wireless microsensors is expansive, from reconnaissance mission work and remote sensors to biomedical implants and disposable consumer products. Conforming to microscale dimensions, however, constrains energy and power to such an extent that sustaining critical power-hungry functions like wireless communication is next to impossible. Harvesting ambient energy offers an appealing alternative, except the act of transferring energy requires power that could easily exceed what the transducer generates in the first place. This paper presents how to design low-power switched-inductor converters capable of producing net energy gains when supplied from low-power piezoelectric and electrostatic kinetic-harvesting sources.