Vibration-to-electric energy conversion

Author

Meninger, Scott ; Mur-Miranda, Jose Oscar ; Amirtharajah, Rajeevan ; Chandrakasan, Anantha ; Lang, Jeffrey

Author_Institution

MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA

fYear

1999

fDate

17-17 Aug. 1999

Firstpage

48

Lastpage

53

Abstract

A system is proposed to convert ambient mechanical vibration into electrical energy for use in powering autonomous low-power electronic systems. The energy is transduced through the use of a variable capacitor, which has been designed with MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology. A low-power controller IC has been fabricated in a 0.6 /spl mu/m CMOS process and has been tested and measured for losses. Based on the tests, the system is expected to produce 8 /spl mu/W of usable power.

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; VLSI; integrated circuit design; losses; low-power electronics; micromechanical devices; transducers; varactors; 0.6 micron; 8 muW; CMOS process; MEMS; ambient mechanical vibration; autonomous low-power electronic systems; losses; low-power controller IC; microelectromechanical systems; variable capacitor; vibration-to-electric energy conversion; CMOS integrated circuits; CMOS technology; Capacitors; Electric variables control; Energy conversion; Low power electronics; Mechanical variables control; Microelectromechanical systems; Micromechanical devices; Vibrations;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Low Power Electronics and Design, 1999. Proceedings. 1999 International Symposium on

Conference_Location

San Diego, CA, USA

Print_ISBN

1-58113-133-X

Type

conf

Filename

799408