Vibration-based energy-harvesting technology, as an alternative power source, represents one of the most promising solutions to the problem of battery capacity limitations in wearable and implantable electronics, in particular implantable biomedical devices. Four primary energy transduction mechanisms are reviewed, namely piezoelectric, electromagnetic, electrostatic, and triboelectric mechanisms for vibration-based energy harvesters. Through generic modeling and analyses, it is shown that various approaches can be used to tune the operation bandwidth to collect appreciable power. Recent progress in biomechanical energy harvesters is also shown by utilizing various types of motion from bodies and organs of humans and animals. To conclude, perspectives on next-generation energy-harvesting systems are given, whereby the ultimate intelligent, autonomous, and tunable energy harvesters will provide a new energy platform for electronics and wearable and implantable medical devices.
Keywords: biomechanical design; energy harvesting; transduction; tuning; vibration.