Development of an Energy Harvesting System for the Conversion of Mechanical Energy of Human Movement into Electrical Energy and Its Integration into High Performance Wearable Clothing
Processes 2023
Silvija Kukle, Juris Blūms, Aleksejs Kataševs, Ieva Baķe, Vilnis Jurķāns, Ilgvars Gorņevs, Gaļina Terļecka, Zane Zelča, Aleksandrs Okss

In many smart textile development studies, sensors and electro-conductive yarns have been widely investigated and used as essential components, especially in the fields of medicine, sport, work wear, and special applications. Wearable sensors provide a means to monitor the wearer’s health through physiological measurements in a natural setting or are used to detect potential hazards and alert users and/or caretakers. The aim of the research is to develop a prototype of wearable electronics that consists of high-performance clothing with an integrated energy harvesting system for converting the mechanical energy of human movements into electrical energy. Within the framework of the research, a system for determining human physiological and/or environmental parameters and transmitting data was developed and integrated into clothing modified with sol–gel technology for indoor and outdoor use. Although the created flat inductive elements of the energy harvesting system retain their performance during the hydrothermal treatment process, at the same time, the other elements of the smart clothing system (especially electro-conductive yarns) rapidly lose their electrical conductivity. The modified knitwear provided a longer time between washing cycles to protect the embedded wearable electronics, and the impact of surface modification with sol–gel on wearing comfort was evaluated.


Keywords
smart clothing; electromagnetic energy converter; sol–gel technology; cotton knitwear
DOI
10.3390/pr11113056
Hyperlink
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/11/11/3056

Kukle, S., Blūms, J., Kataševs, A., Baķe, I., Jurķāns, V., Gorņevs, I., Terļecka, G., Zelča, Z., Okss, A. Development of an Energy Harvesting System for the Conversion of Mechanical Energy of Human Movement into Electrical Energy and Its Integration into High Performance Wearable Clothing. Processes, 2023, Vol. 11, No. 11, Article number 3056. e-ISSN 2227-9717. Pieejams: doi:10.3390/pr11113056

Publication language
English (en)
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