Abstract: This invention concerns a piezoelectric energy harvesting device or actuator comprising a piezoelectric material (12) on a substrate (14). The piezoelectric material is divided into a plurality of discrete regions to provide a plurality of piezoelectric elements (16) on the substrate which are electrically insulated from each other. The elements are preferably disposed along the length of a cantilevered beam. The piezoelectric layer may be divided or further divided with an insulating gap extending in the longitudinal direction of the beam for energy harvesting in torsional mode(s) of beam vibration as well as bending modes.