Thick-film Piezoceramic Micro-generators

A sensor node is generally small in physical size (typically a few cm or smaller) and consist of a sensor, a transceiver, and supporting electronics. They are connected as a wireless network and are sometimes isolated and embedded in structures, which are not easily accessible. The lifespan of the sensor node is critically dependent upon the power source it contains. Instead of using a limited lifespan source, such as battery as the main power source, ambient energy scavenging offers an improved solution for providing power to miniature sensor nodes for an indefinite period of time. There are several possible mechanisms for ambient energy scavenging including solar, acoustic, thermoelectric, and mechanical vibration.