Material- and system integration

Energy Harvesting – Sensor Monitoring – Micro Power Generator – Low -Frequency Vibrations

Competence

Self-powered remote systems and sensor networks are needed in many emerging applications including environmental monitoring, medical devices, and others. Energy harvesting has become popular recently because of the need for long-lasting renewable energy sources. By harvesting energy, power can be generated from various environmental sources such as ambient heat, light, acoustic noise, vibration, and ambient RF signals. We are working on advancing the state-of-the-art by developing integrated energy harvesting systems using novel materials, advanced mechanical design, non-traditional fabrication, and cutting-edge power management electronics.

Fields of application

• Wireless Sensor Monitoring

• Micro Power Generator

Team

• Dr. Tzeno Galchev, Post-Doc

Projects

Current

Project promotion by the Alexander von Humboldt foundation

Selected publications

• T. Galchev, H. Kim, and K. Najafi
  Micro Power Generator For Harvesting Low-Frequency and Non-Periodic Vibrations
  2011, IEEE/ASME Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, volume: 20, pages: 852-866

• T. Galchev, J. McCullagh, R.L. Peterson, K. Najafi, and A. Mortazawi
  Energy Harvesting of Radio Frequency and Vibration Energy to Enable Wireless Sensor Monitoring of Civil Infrastructure
  2011, SPIE Smart Structures/NDE, San Diego, CA

• T. Galchev, E. E. Aktakka, and K. Najafi
  A Piezoelectric Parametric Frequency Increased Generator for Harvesting Low-Frequency Vibrations
  IEEE/ASME Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, in press
  

Partner

Alexander von Humbold Foundation

Contact

Tzeno Galchev

Email: Tzeno.galchev@imtek.de

Tel.: +49 (0) 761 203-7199