26.4 Emerging applications and market trends
3 min read•august 9, 2024
Piezoelectric energy harvesting is making waves in emerging tech. From powering IoT devices and wearables to enabling and , this tech is revolutionizing how we generate and use energy in small-scale applications.
The market for piezoelectric energy harvesting is growing fast. With a projected value of $667 million by 2026, it's finding its way into industries like and . As the tech improves, it's opening doors for new applications in developing countries and remote areas.
Emerging Applications
Internet of Things and Wearable Technology
Top images from around the web for Internet of Things and Wearable Technology
Wearable Energy-Harvesting Device Generates Energy from Arm Movement - Science news - Tasnim ... View original
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Ultra-Wideband Systems with Energy Harvesting Units for Sensors, 5G, IoT and Medical Systems View original
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Frontiers | Adaptive Extreme Edge Computing for Wearable Devices View original
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Wearable Energy-Harvesting Device Generates Energy from Arm Movement - Science news - Tasnim ... View original
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Ultra-Wideband Systems with Energy Harvesting Units for Sensors, 5G, IoT and Medical Systems View original
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Top images from around the web for Internet of Things and Wearable Technology
Wearable Energy-Harvesting Device Generates Energy from Arm Movement - Science news - Tasnim ... View original
Is this image relevant?
Ultra-Wideband Systems with Energy Harvesting Units for Sensors, 5G, IoT and Medical Systems View original
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Frontiers | Adaptive Extreme Edge Computing for Wearable Devices View original
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Wearable Energy-Harvesting Device Generates Energy from Arm Movement - Science news - Tasnim ... View original
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Ultra-Wideband Systems with Energy Harvesting Units for Sensors, 5G, IoT and Medical Systems View original
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- (IoT) revolutionizes connectivity by enabling everyday objects to send and receive data
- Encompasses smart home devices, industrial sensors, and agricultural monitoring systems
- Facilitates real-time data collection and analysis for improved decision-making
- integrates electronic devices into clothing and accessories
- Includes fitness trackers, smartwatches, and augmented reality glasses
- Monitors health metrics, provides personalized notifications, and enhances user experiences
- Both IoT and wearables benefit from piezoelectric energy harvesting
- Reduces reliance on traditional batteries
- Enables self-powered operation in remote or hard-to-reach locations
Smart Cities and Structural Health Monitoring
- Smart cities utilize interconnected technologies to improve urban living
- Incorporates traffic management systems, energy-efficient lighting, and waste management solutions
- Piezoelectric sensors in roads harvest energy from vehicle vibrations to power nearby systems
- Structural health monitoring assesses the condition of buildings and infrastructure
- Employs sensors to detect changes in structural integrity (bridges, skyscrapers, pipelines)
- Piezoelectric sensors generate power from ambient vibrations for continuous monitoring
- Both applications leverage data analytics and machine learning for predictive maintenance
- Reduces maintenance costs and improves safety
- Optimizes resource allocation in urban environments
Biomedical Implants and Energy Harvesting
- Biomedical implants advance through internal monitoring and treatment
- Includes pacemakers, cochlear implants, and glucose monitors
- Piezoelectric materials harvest energy from body movements to power these devices
- Energy harvesting techniques for biomedical applications
- Utilize natural body processes (heartbeats, breathing) as energy sources
- Reduce the need for invasive battery replacement surgeries
- Challenges in biomedical energy harvesting
- Ensuring biocompatibility of materials
- Maximizing energy output while minimizing device size
Autonomous Systems
Self-Powered Sensors and Energy-Neutral Systems
- Autonomous sensors operate independently without external power sources
- Harvest energy from their environment (vibrations, temperature gradients, light)
- Enable long-term deployment in remote or hazardous locations
- maintain a balance between energy consumption and harvesting
- Adapt their operation based on available energy
- Optimize performance to ensure continuous operation
- Applications of autonomous systems
- Environmental monitoring in forests or oceans
- Industrial equipment condition monitoring
- Agricultural sensors for precision farming
Advancements in Autonomous System Design
- Improvements in low-power electronics extend operational lifetimes
- Utilize ultra-low-power microcontrollers and sensors
- Implement sleep modes and duty cycling to conserve energy
- Integration of multiple energy harvesting technologies
- Combines piezoelectric with solar or thermoelectric harvesting
- Increases resilience and adaptability to different environments
- Development of energy-aware algorithms and protocols
- Optimizes data transmission and processing based on available energy
- Implements adaptive sampling rates to balance information gathering and energy consumption
Market Trends
Market Growth and Industry Adoption
- Market growth projections for piezoelectric energy harvesting
- Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) estimated at 4.3% from 2021 to 2026
- Global market value expected to reach $667 million by 2026
- Industry adoption rates vary across sectors
- Automotive industry leads in adoption for tire pressure monitoring systems
- Aerospace sector increasingly uses piezoelectric harvesters for structural health monitoring
- Factors driving market growth
- Increasing demand for self-powered wireless sensors
- Growing focus on sustainable and renewable energy solutions
Emerging Markets and Technological Advancements
- Emerging markets in developing countries
- Rapid urbanization creates opportunities for smart city applications
- Off-grid energy solutions drive adoption in remote areas
- Technological advancements influencing market trends
- Improved piezoelectric materials with higher
- of harvesting devices for wearable and implantable applications
- Challenges affecting market growth
- High initial costs compared to traditional power sources
- Need for standardization in energy harvesting technologies
- Competition from other energy harvesting methods (solar, thermoelectric)
Key Terms to Review (21)
3D printing: 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process that creates three-dimensional objects from a digital file by layering materials in succession. This technology allows for the precise fabrication of complex shapes and structures, making it a valuable tool in various fields including engineering, healthcare, and energy harvesting applications. Its ability to customize designs and reduce material waste aligns well with advancements in areas such as electromechanical coupling, integration into textiles, and the development of emerging market trends.
Aerospace: Aerospace refers to the branch of technology and industry that deals with the development and production of aircraft, spacecraft, and related systems and equipment. This field encompasses everything from commercial aviation to space exploration, involving a wide range of engineering disciplines and cutting-edge technologies that continuously push the boundaries of what is possible in flight.
Automotive: The term automotive refers to vehicles designed primarily for transportation, including cars, trucks, and motorcycles. In recent years, the automotive industry has seen significant advancements in technology, particularly with the integration of energy harvesting methods that can enhance vehicle efficiency and sustainability. This has led to a growing interest in utilizing renewable energy sources within automotive applications, contributing to the industry's evolution towards cleaner, smarter transportation solutions.
Biomedical implants: Biomedical implants are medical devices or tissues that are placed into the body to replace a missing biological structure, support a damaged biological structure, or enhance an existing biological function. These implants can be temporary or permanent and are increasingly being integrated with advanced technologies, including piezoelectric systems, to improve their functionality and monitoring capabilities.
Ceramics: Ceramics are inorganic, non-metallic materials made from powdered chemicals and minerals that are shaped and then hardened by heat. These materials are essential in piezoelectric applications due to their unique properties like mechanical strength, thermal stability, and electrical insulation, which make them suitable for energy harvesting systems and devices.
Energy Conversion Efficiency: Energy conversion efficiency is a measure of how effectively a system converts input energy into usable output energy. In the context of energy harvesting, this efficiency is crucial as it determines how much of the ambient energy can be captured and converted into electrical energy for practical applications.
Energy Harvesting Devices: Energy harvesting devices are technologies that capture and convert ambient energy from the environment into usable electrical energy. These devices play a vital role in powering small electronics, sensors, and IoT devices by utilizing sources such as vibrations, heat, light, or kinetic energy, ensuring sustainability and reducing dependence on batteries.
Energy-neutral systems: Energy-neutral systems are systems designed to produce as much energy as they consume, aiming for a balance that results in no net energy loss or gain over time. These systems are increasingly important in sustainable development and environmental management, as they focus on utilizing renewable energy sources and enhancing energy efficiency to minimize ecological footprints.
Healthcare: Healthcare refers to the organized provision of medical services, treatments, and preventative care designed to maintain or improve individuals' health. It encompasses a range of services including hospitals, clinics, and outpatient care, as well as the integration of technology to enhance patient outcomes. The significance of healthcare is magnified in energy harvesting applications, where devices can provide continuous power for medical equipment and monitoring systems, ensuring reliability and efficiency in patient care.
Incentives for renewable energy: Incentives for renewable energy refer to the various policies, financial mechanisms, and regulatory measures designed to encourage the adoption and development of renewable energy sources. These incentives aim to lower the cost of renewable technologies, enhance their market competitiveness, and promote a shift away from fossil fuels. They can take many forms, including tax credits, grants, rebates, feed-in tariffs, and renewable energy certificates, and play a crucial role in shaping emerging applications and market trends in the energy sector.
Internet of Things: The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the network of physical objects, or 'things,' embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies that enable them to connect and exchange data over the internet. This interconnectivity allows for improved communication between devices, leading to enhanced automation and efficiency across various sectors such as healthcare, transportation, and smart cities.
Miniaturization: Miniaturization refers to the process of reducing the size of devices and components while maintaining or enhancing their functionality. This trend is crucial for the development of efficient energy harvesting systems, particularly in wearable technology, as it allows for lightweight and unobtrusive designs that can be integrated into everyday clothing or accessories.
Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology is the manipulation and control of matter at the nanoscale, typically between 1 and 100 nanometers. This field allows for the development of materials and devices with unique properties and functionalities that arise from their nanoscale dimensions, making it crucial for innovations in various industries, including energy harvesting, medicine, and electronics.
Polymers: Polymers are large molecules composed of repeating structural units called monomers, connected by covalent bonds. They play a significant role in various applications, especially in piezoelectric materials where they can influence the piezoelectric coefficients and constants, the structure of energy harvesting devices, and emerging technologies in the market.
Self-powered sensors: Self-powered sensors are devices that can operate independently by harnessing energy from their environment, eliminating the need for an external power source. These sensors utilize energy harvesting techniques, such as piezoelectricity, to convert ambient energy into electrical energy to power their functions, making them ideal for remote and inaccessible applications.
Sensor Networks: Sensor networks consist of interconnected devices equipped with sensors that collect and transmit data regarding various environmental conditions. These networks are essential for gathering real-time information, enabling efficient energy harvesting processes, optimizing energy conversion efficiency, and facilitating effective communication in various applications.
Smart cities: Smart cities are urban areas that use digital technology and data-driven solutions to enhance the quality of life for residents, improve efficiency in services, and promote sustainable development. They integrate various systems, such as energy management, transportation, and communication networks, to create a more responsive and adaptive urban environment. This approach is pivotal in optimizing energy harvesting applications, enhancing hybrid energy systems, and identifying emerging trends in urban infrastructure.
Smart textiles: Smart textiles are advanced fabrics that integrate technology to provide functionalities beyond traditional textiles, such as sensing, actuation, and energy harvesting. They enhance user experience by responding to environmental stimuli, making them suitable for applications in wearable technology and performance monitoring.
Standards for energy efficiency: Standards for energy efficiency are regulations and guidelines designed to reduce energy consumption and enhance the efficiency of energy use in various applications. These standards play a crucial role in promoting sustainable practices, reducing environmental impact, and fostering innovation in emerging technologies. They also help consumers make informed choices, leading to lower energy bills and a smaller carbon footprint.
Sustainability: Sustainability refers to the ability to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It encompasses environmental, economic, and social dimensions, aiming for a balance that ensures resources are used efficiently and responsibly. In energy harvesting, sustainability is crucial as it shapes the development and implementation of technologies that minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency and reliability.
Wearable technology: Wearable technology refers to smart electronic devices that are designed to be worn on the body, integrating hardware and software to perform various functions such as monitoring health metrics or providing notifications. These devices often utilize energy harvesting methods to remain powered, highlighting their relevance in applications such as fitness tracking, medical monitoring, and augmented reality.