Abstract: A method of making a thin film based structure. The method includes (a): forming an electrically conductive layer on a substrate such that the electrically conductive layer is releasably attached to the substrate. The method also includes (b): forming a ceramic or metallic thin film on the electrically conductive layer, on a side opposite the substrate. The electrically conductive layer and the substrate are arranged such that when an interface between them contacts a water-based liquid, the water-based liquid facilitates or causes release of the electrically conductive layer from the substrate, substantially without damaging the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible piezoelectric composite including a three-dimensional interconnected piezoelectric ceramic framework based on a porous organic template with sufficient stiffness and infiltrated with a flexible polymer matrix. A method for fabricating the flexible piezoelectric composition is also described herein.

Abstract: A vibration energy harvester, a power accumulator and a power supplier, including: a multi-stable shell with one or more bistable regions and at least one piezoelectric element fixed on a surface of the multi-stable shell. Each of the bistable regions has two different stable configurations, and different combinations of the stable configurations of the one or more bistable regions make the multi-stable shell have a plurality of different stable configurations. The one or more bistable regions are switched between the two stable configurations thereof when being excited by vibration energy, so that the multi-stable shell is switched between the plurality of stable configurations to deform the piezoelectric element to generate electric energy.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming piezoelectric films on surfaces of arbitrary morphologies. The method includes providing a sol for forming the piezoelectric film; spraying the sol onto the surface thereby forming a liquid film containing the sol on the surface; wiping the liquid film with a flattening tool for flattening the liquid film; drying the flattened liquid film thereby forming a gel layer; and annealing the gel layer thereby forming the piezoelectric film. The piezoelectric films with high uniformity and desired thickness can be formed on curved and even wrinkled surfaces by the present method.

Abstract: A wearable device that is capable of harvesting kinetic energy from wrist motions using piezoelectric and/or electromagnetic energy harvesters is disclosed. A first part of the device is worn on the user and second part of the device is movable against the second part to accentuate the frequency of movements.

Abstract: The present invention provides piezoelectric bio-organic films resembling ceramic-based piezoelectric films, and also a fabrication method thereof. In particular, the bio-organic piezoelectric films are formed by compact nanocrystals resembling the inorganic ceramic structure, where nanocrystallization on biomaterials and in-situ electric field are applied to facilitate domain orientation alignment across the entire films. The present fabrication method provides flexibility to tune various parameters of the resulting bio-organic films according to the needs, and therefore is substantially applicable to a wide range of biomaterials to form piezoelectric bio-organic films comparable to those formed by conventional piezoceramics in terms of piezoelectricity, thermostability and durability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surface tension assisted film forming method to prepare a flexible, patterned piezoceramic composite for use in a variety of electronics. The present method allows tuning mechanical and piezoelectric properties of the resulting composite by simply adjusting one or few parameters used during the piezoceramic film forming and/or composite forming procedures in the absence of any complex transferring techniques that are commonly used in conventional methods. The present invention also allows customizing patterns (two-dimensional or three-dimensional) on the piezoceramic framework to result in a piezoelectric composite that is able to provide anisotropic piezoelectric responses to different loads whilst still having a constant electrical output over a long-time deformation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for improving energy economy and wearing comfort of a power generating, gait assisting footwear article while maintaining normal gait pattern during human locomotion. The device includes a motion conversion mechanism to convert linear reciprocating moment exerted on the device during heel strike/up into a series of rotations; a rotation acceleration module to increase the speed of rotations before being transformed into electric current by a generator. The device also includes a power management module and energy storage element(s) for energy storage and power supply to the footwear article or external electronics.

Abstract: A wearable device that is capable of harvesting kinetic energy from wrist motions using piezoelectric and/or electromagnetic energy harvesters is disclosed. A first part of the device is worn on the user and second part of the device is movable against the second part to accentuate the frequency of movements.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming piezoelectric films on surfaces of arbitrary morphologies. The method includes providing a sol for forming the piezoelectric film; spraying the sol onto the surface thereby forming a liquid film containing the sol on the surface; wiping the liquid film with a flattening tool for flattening the liquid film; drying the flattened liquid film thereby forming a gel layer; and annealing the gel layer thereby forming the piezoelectric film. The piezoelectric films with high uniformity and desired thickness can be formed on curved and even wrinkled surfaces by the present method.

Abstract: An energy harvester (100) includes: an inner band (110); an outer band (120) arranged to surround the inner band (110), wherein the inner band (110) is coupled to the outer band (120) at a fixed end (20) and the inner band (110) is spaced from the outer band (120) at a free end (30); and an energy generator (150) arranged to generate electric energy through relative movement between the inner band (110) and the outer band (120) at the free end (30). Also disclosed is a wearable device (10) including: a wearable strap formed by the inner band (110) and the outer band (120) of the energy harvester (100), and a mass (130) arranged to receive at least a portion of the wearable device (10).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic structure, a method of manufacturing a ceramic structure with multiple layers of ceramic material, and a method of manufacturing a piezoelectric ceramic structure. The method of manufacturing a ceramic structure includes the steps of: placing a sheet of ceramic material on a supporting platform, wherein the supporting platform is arranged to elevate the sheet of ceramic material from a base of the supporting platform by supporting only a first portion of the sheet of ceramic material; sintering the sheet of ceramic material; and during the step of sintering of the sheet of ceramic material, facilitating forming a curvature on the sheet of ceramic material at a second portion of the sheet of ceramic material which is not supported by the supporting platform.

Abstract: A system and a method for a torque measurement system for a vehicle having a rotatable member connecting an engine to a torque converter and rotatable about a rotating axis, the torque measurement system including a strain measuring module arranged to measure the strain on the rotatable member; a control module arranged to process the data associated with the strain measurement; and an energy generating module arranged to generate electricity through the movement of the rotatable member, thereby powering the torque measurement system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible piezoelectric composite including a three-dimensional interconnected piezoelectric ceramic framework based on a porous organic template with sufficient stiffness and infiltrated with a flexible polymer matrix. A method for fabricating the flexible piezoelectric composition is also described herein.

Abstract: A power generation device includes a rotatable member arranged to rotate about a rotating axis in response to an application of force; and at least one power generation unit including at least one deformable member, the deformable member arranged to deform for generating electrical energy in response to the rotation of the rotatable member. The present invention also discloses a power generation device having an oscillatable member and an electric device incorporating the power generation device.

Abstract: An energy harvester (100) includes: an inner band (110); an outer band (120) arranged to surround the inner band (110), wherein the inner band (110) is coupled to the outer band (120) at a fixed end (20) and the inner band (110) is spaced from the outer band (120) at a free end (30); and an energy generator (150) arranged to generate electric energy through relative movement between the inner band (110) and the outer band (120) at the free end (30). Also disclosed is a wearable device (10) including: a wearable strap formed by the inner band (110) and the outer band (120) of the energy harvester (100), and a mass (130) arranged to receive at least a portion of the wearable device (10).

Abstract: A system and a method for a torque measurement system for a vehicle having a rotatable member connecting an engine to a torque converter and rotatable about a rotating axis, the torque measurement system including a strain measuring module arranged to measure the strain on the rotatable member; a control module arranged to process the data associated with the strain measurement; and an energy generating module arranged to generate electricity through the movement of the rotatable member, thereby powering the torque measurement system.

Abstract: A power generation device includes a rotatable member arranged to rotate about a rotating axis in response to an application of force; and at least one power generation unit including at least one deformable member, the deformable member arranged to deform for generating electrical energy in response to the rotation of the rotatable member. The present invention also discloses a power generation device having an oscillatable member and an electric device incorporating the power generation device.

Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer for harvesting ambient vibration energy is made up of two elastic beams poled for series operation, a center flextensional component and two proof masses. The center flextensional component serves as the energy harvesting part as well as vibration harvesting inertial mass. The energy harvester is capable of harvesting multi-directional low-frequency vibration energy efficiently. It can be applied in implantable devices, wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks.

Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer for harvesting ambient vibration energy is made up of a curved substructure beam, two half-tube piezoelectric elements and a mass block. One end of the beam is fixed on a vibration base and the other end is attached with the mass block. Two half-tube piezoelectric elements are affixed on the surface of the curved substructure beam. The present invention has a high energy transformation efficiency and a low resonance frequency. It can be applied in implantable devices, wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks.