• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.134-140
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• 2021

This study relates to the development of a wearable device that can identify a personal location using low-power GPS and IMU based on energy harvesting. The energy harvesting technology using a piezoelectric device was applied for the development of personal location identification, and made it possible to acquire precise personal location data using GPS and IMU. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that GPS and IMU data were normally received. The personal location identification device can be prepared for an accident by identifying a personal location in a disaster area, etc., and the user will be able to use it easily regardless of time, place, and environment. It is expected that it can be used in various fields such as leisure and health care.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.293-300
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• 2022

Flexible, wearable, and implantable electronic sensors have started to gain popularity in improving the quality of life of sick and healthy people, shifting the future paradigm with high sensitivity. However, conventional technologies with a limited lifespan occasionally limit their continued usage, resulting in a high cost. In addition, traditional battery technologies with a short lifespan frequently limit operation, resulting in a substantial challenge to their growth. Subsequently, utilizing human biomechanical energy is extensively preferred motion for biologically integrated, self-powered, functioning devices. Ideally suited for this purpose are piezoelectric energy harvesters. To convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, devices must be mechanically flexible and stretchable to implant or attach to the highly deformable tissues of the body. A systematic analysis of piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) for personalized healthcare is provided in this article. This article briefly overviews PENGs as self-powered sensor devices for energy harvesting, sensing, physiological motion, and healthcare.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.589-590
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• 2013

The fast development of electronic devices towards wireless, portable and multi-functionality desperately needs the self-powered and low maintenance power sources. The possibility to coupling the nanogenerator to wearable and portable electronic device facilitates the self powered device with independent and self sustained power source. Nanogenerator has ability to convert the low frequency mechanical vibration to electrical energy which is utilized to drive the electronic device [1]. The self powered power source has the ability to generate the power from environment and human activity has attracted much interest because of place and time independent. The human body motion based energy harvesting has created huge impact for future self powered electronics device applications. The power generated from the human body motion is enough to operate the future electronic devices. The energy harvesting from human body motion based on triboelectric effect has simple, cost-effective method [2, 3] and meet the required power density of devices. However, its output is still insufficient to driving electronic devices in continues manner so new technology and new device architecture required to meet required power. In the present work, we have fabricated the triboelectric nanogenerator using PDMS polymer. We have studied detail about the power output of the device with respect to different polymer thickness and varied separation distance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.619-624
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• 2015

Owing to miniaturization and low-power electronics, mobile, implanted, and wearable devices have become the main trends of electronics during the past decade. There has been much research regarding energy harvesting to achieve battery-free or self-powered devices. The optimal design problems of a double-pendulum kinetic-energy harvester from human motion are studied in this paper. For the given form factor, the weight of the harvester, and the known human excitation, the optimal design problem is solved using a dynamic non-linear double-pendulum model and an electric generator. The average electrical power was selected as the performance index for the given time period. A double-pendulum harvester was proven to be more efficient than a single-pendulum harvester when the appropriate parameters were used.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.203-214
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• 2022

Thermoelectric (TE) heating and cooling devices, which are able to directly convert thermal energy into electrical energy and vice versa, are effective and have exhibited a potential for energy harvesting. With the increasing consumer demands for various wearable electronics, organic-based TE composite materials offer a promise for the TE devices applications. Conductive polymers are widely used as flexible TE materials replacing inorganic materials due to their flexibility, low thermal conductivity, mechanical flexibility, ease of processing, and low cost. In this review, we briefly introduce the latest research trends in the flexible TE technology and provide a comprehensive summary of specific conductive polymer-based TE material fabrication technologies. We also summarize the manufacture for high-efficiency TE composites through the complexation of a conductive polymer matrix/inorganic TE filler. We believe that this review will inspire further research to improve the TE performance of conductive polymers.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.174-179
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• 2018

In this paper, design of high-efficiency DC-DC converter is presented for low-power PMIC (power management integrated circuit). As PMIC technologies for IoT and wearable devices have been continuously improved, high-efficiency energy harvesting schemes should be essential. Since the supply voltage resulting from energy harvesting is low and widely variable, design techniques to achieve high efficiency over a wide input voltage range are required. To obtain a constant switching frequency for wide input voltage range, frequency compensation circuit using supply-voltage variation sensing circuit is included. In order to obtain high efficiency performance at very low-power condition, accurate burst-mode control circuit was adopted to control switching operations. In the proposed DC-DC buck converter, output voltage is set to be 0.9V at the input voltage of 0.95~3.3V and maximum measured efficiency is up to 78% for the load current of 180uA.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2023

Due to the increasing demand for wearable devices and miniaturization of various electronic devices, the trend of nanofabrication in IT devices is underway. In order to overcome the limitations of battery size and capacity, there has been a lot of research interest in energy harvesting technology, also known as triboelectric nanogenerator. AAO(Anodic Aluminum oxide) coated with fluoride is a structure that includes an anode layer with high properties in the triboelectric series, an dielectric layer that helps transfer the triboelectrically generated charges to the electrode without loss, and the electrode. For these reasons, AAO has been a lot of research on its application to frictional energy harvesting nanogenerators. In this work, we analyzed the correlation of AAO between the surface morphology and thickness of the insulating layer by utilizing aluminum oxide, which is advantageous for the application of triboelectric nanogenerators, and adjusting the thickness of the insulating layer.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.139-143
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• 2022

In this study, Among the electromagnetic induction power generation (EMG) techniques, the design specifications of the RFPM were set, and a suitable test prototype was manufactured through finite element analysis (FEM, 2D) required for characteristic calculation. In addition, a dedicated testing device (Dynamo-Tester) was designed and manufactured to measure and analyze the test prototype. The test product was measured with a test device and the result is analyzed to suggest a method that can be applied by generating as much output power as possible to charge the battery of the wearable IT device using actual kinetic energy of the human body. As a result of the test, the output power was 1.679W and the efficiency was 79.31% under the conditions of rotation speed of 780.9rpm, torque of 0.264kgf/cm, and load current of 73.6~73.9mA. Therefore, it was analyzed that it was possible to charge the wearable device with the output of the ultra-small RFPM pendulum generator.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.312-317
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• 2022

Piezoelectric energy harvesting has attracted increasing attention over the last decade as a means for generating sustainable and long-lasting energy from wasted mechanical energy. To develop self-powered wearable devices, piezoelectric materials should be flexible, stretchable, and bio-eco-friendly. This study proposed the fabrication of stretchable piezoelectric composites via dispersing perovskite-structured BaTiO₃ nanoparticles inside an Ecoflex polymeric matrix. In particular, the stretchable piezoelectric sensor array was fabricated via a simple and cost-effective spin-coating process by exploiting the piezoelectric composite comprising of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles, Ecoflex matrix, and stretchable Ag coated textile electrodes. The fabricated sensor generated an output voltage of ~4.3 V under repeated compressing deformations. Moreover, the piezoelectric sensor array exhibited robust mechanical stability during mechanical pushing of ~5,000 cycles. Finite element method with multiphysics COMSOL simulation program was employed to support the experimental output performance of the fabricated device. Finally, the stretchable piezoelectric sensor array can be used as a self-powered touch sensor that can effectively detect and distinguish mechanical stimuli, such as pressing by a human finger. The fabricated sensor demonstrated potential to be used in a stretchable, lead-free, and scalable piezoelectric sensor array.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.209-213
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• 2010

This paper describes the fabrication and characteristics of AlN piezoelectric MPG(micro power generator). The micro energy harvester was fabricated to convert ambient vibration energy to electrical power as a AlN piezoelectric cantilever with Si proof-mass. To be compatible with CMOS process, AlN thin film was grown at low temperature by RF magnetron sputtering and micro power generators were fabricated by MEMS technologies. X-ray diffraction pattern proved that the grown AlN film had highly(002) orientation with low value of FWHM(full width at the half maximum, $\theta=0.276^{\circ}$) in the rocking curve around(002) reflections. The implemented harvester showed the $198.5\;{\mu}m$ highest membrane displacement and generated 6.4 nW of electrical power to $80\;k{\Omega}$ resistive load with $22.6\;mV_{rms}$ voltage from 1.0 G acceleration at its resonant frequency of 389 Hz. From these results, the AlN piezoelectric MPG will be possible to suitable with the batch process and confirm the possibility for power supply in portable, mobile and wearable microsystems.