Thermoelectric Generators: Alternative Power Supply for Wearable Electrocardiographic Systems

Matthew Dargusch; Wei-Di Liu; Zhi-Gang Chen

doi:10.1002/advs.202001362

Thermoelectric Generators: Alternative Power Supply for Wearable Electrocardiographic Systems

Adv Sci (Weinh). 2020 Aug 11;7(18):2001362. doi: 10.1002/advs.202001362. eCollection 2020 Sep.

Authors

Matthew Dargusch¹, Wei-Di Liu¹, Zhi-Gang Chen^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia.
² Center for Future Materials University of Southern Queensland Springfield Central Brisbane Queensland 4300 Australia.

Abstract

Research interest in the development of real-time monitoring of personal health indicators using wearable electrocardiographic systems has intensified in recent years. New advanced thermoelectrics are potentially a key enabling technology that can be used to transform human body heat into power for use in wearable electrographic monitoring devices. This work provides a systematic review of the potential application of thermoelectric generators for use as power sources in wearable electrocardiographic monitoring systems. New strategies on miniaturized rigid thermoelectric modules combined with batteries or supercapacitors can provide adequate power supply for wearable electrocardiographic systems. Flexible thermoelectric generators can also support wearable electrocardiographic systems directly when a heat sink is incorporated into the design in order to enlarge and stabilize the temperature gradient. Recent advances in enhancing the performance of novel fiber/fabric based flexible thermoelectrics has opened up an exciting direction for the development of wearable electrocardiographic systems.

Keywords: electrocardiographic systems; power generators; power supply; thermoelectrics.

Publication types

Review