Electro-Mechanical Characterization and Modeling of a Broadband Piezoelectric Microgenerator Based on Lithium Niobate.

Vibration energy harvesting based on piezoelectric transducers is an attractive choice to replace single-use batteries in powering Wireless Sensor Nodes (WSNs). As of today, their widespread application is hindered due to low operational bandwidth and the conventional use of lead-based materials. The Restriction of Hazardous Substances legislation (RoHS) implemented in the European Union restricts the use of lead-based piezoelectric materials in future electronic devices.

Real-Time AI-Assisted Push-Broom Hyperspectral System for Precision Agriculture.

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern agriculture, the integration of advanced technologies has become indispensable for optimizing crop management and ensuring sustainable food production. This paper presents the development and implementation of a real-time AI-assisted push-broom hyperspectral system for plant identification. The push-broom hyperspectral technique, coupled with artificial intelligence, offers unprecedented detail and accuracy in crop monitoring.

3D-Printed Piezoelectret Based on Foamed Polylactic Acid for Energy-Harvesting and Sensing Applications.

Poly(lactic) acid (PLA) is a bio-compatible polymer widely used in additive manufacturing, and in the form of cellular foam it shows excellent mechanical and piezoelectric properties. This type of structure can be easily 3D-printed by Fusion Deposition Modelling (FDM) with commercially available composite filaments. In this work, we present mechanical and electrical investigations on 3D-printed low-cost and eco-friendly foamed PLA.

Lead-Free LiNbO Thick Film MEMS Kinetic Cantilever Beam Sensor/Energy Harvester.

In this paper, we present integrated lead-free energy converters based on a suitable MEMS fabrication process with an embedded layer of LiNbO. The fabrication technology has been developed to realize micromachined self-generating transducers to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy. The process proposed presents several interesting features with the possibility of realizing smaller scale devices, integrated systems, miniaturized mechanical and electromechanical sensors, and transducers with an active layer used as the main conversion element.

A Self-Powered and Battery-Free Vibrational Energy to Time Converter for Wireless Vibration Monitoring.

Wireless sensor nodes (WSNs) are the fundamental part of an Internet of Things (IoT) system for detecting and transmitting data to a master node for processing. Several research studies reveal that one of the disadvantages of conventional, battery-powered WSNs, however, is that they typically require periodic maintenance. This paper aims to contribute to existing research studies on this issue by exploring a new energy-autonomous and battery-free WSN concept for monitor vibrations.

Multi-dimensional constrained energy optimization of a piezoelectric harvester for E-gadgets.

This paper addresses the design optimization process of an energy harvesting device for scavenging energy from an e-gadget, utilizing its "rocking" motion. The plucking mechanism inspired by the frequency up-conversion technique provides initial displacement exciting piezoelectric beams and increases the total number of excitations multiple times. The harvester is designed in conjunction with the multidimensional surrogate optimization algorithm to maximize the device's performance considering the geometrical features of the concept and the constrained operating environment.