MEMS/NEMS-enabled vibrational energy harvesting for self-powered and wearable electronics

Recent advance in internet of things (IoT) and low-power electronic devices has accelerated the implementation of smart materials and technologies for cheap, portable and sustainable energy sources. Energy harvesting systems as self-sustained power sources are capable of capturing and transforming unused ambient energy into the electrical energy. Such energy harvesters provide an alternative to conventional electrochemical battery and could pave the way for actualizing of self-autonomous devices and intelligent monitoring activities. Micro/Nano power generators capable of converting biomechanical energy to electricity with highly efficient energy conversion materials and smart structures could yield breakthrough in self-powered and wearable electronic device evolutions. This chapter looks into MEMS/NEMS-enabled vibrational energy harvesters that are able to convert kinetic energy to electricity for self-power and wearable applications. Recent advances and challenges in MEMS/NEMS-enabled vibration-to-electricity conversion mechanisms including electromagnetic, piezoelectric, electrostatic, triboelectric and magnetostrictive are reviewed and discussed.