Analysis of a micro-electric generator for microsystems

Supplying power to remote microsystems that have no physical connection to the outside world is difficult, and using batteries is not always appropriate. A solution is offered by the device proposed in this paper, which generates electricity from mechanical energy when embedded in a vibrating medium. This microgenerator has dimensions of around 5 mm × 5 mm × 1 mm. Analysis predicts that the power produced is proportional to the cube of the frequency of vibration, and that to maximize power generation the mass deflection should be as large as possible. Power generation of 1 μW at 70 Hz and 0.1 mW at 330 Hz are predicted for a typical device, assuming a deflection of 50 μm.