Source: China Science and Technology Network - Science and Technology Daily

Higher Technical School of the University of Quebec in Canada and Sonomax Technologies Inc. joint science and technology research team, created a made of "smart materials" piezoelectric fiber composites (PFC), can obtain energy mastication chin from lower jaw, is expected as the number of Small-scale power to an implantable or wearable electronic devices to provide power. The findings have been published in the latest issue of the academic journal "Smart Materials and Structures."

Mandibular movement has proven to be one of the most promising candidates to generate electricity from the human body in motion. The researchers speculate that in a person to eat chewing, will produce an average of about 7 milliwatts (mW) of power. They want the device from eating, chewing and speaking of power to provide electricity for the hearing aids, cochlear implants, electronic hearing protector and an implantable or wearable electronic equipment.

To harvest this energy, the researchers used a smart material PFC chin. PFC is a piezoelectric smart materials, the integrated electrode and the binder polymer matrix composition. The material is capable of generating electric charge when subjected to mechanical stress it extends.

According to physicist organizational networks recently reported, the researchers created a PFC is made from a single layer of chin strap, and a pair of elastic side band to connect it to a pair of earmuffs. To ensure maximum performance, chin strap close to the user's chin to pull the strip stretching its lead in the movement.

When testing the device performance, subjects were asked to chew gum for 60 seconds, and wear the headsets. Results The researchers harvested from jaw movement maximum power of about 18 microwatts (μW), and the best power headsets of only about 10 microwatts.

The researchers said: "Given the chewing average power of about 7 milliwatts (mW), to improve the performance of such devices is still a long way to go to achieve power currently almost completely unable to provide electricity for electrical equipment, however, we can. By adding more layers to the jaw with increasing PFC power output, e.g., using 20 PFC layer, a total thickness of 6 mm, will be able to drive a 200 microwatts intelligent hearing protector. "

The researchers said: "The energy collection device is the only expensive part of a single layer of PFC, costs about $ 20, taking into account the short life and environmental cost price, batteries, we estimate that energy can be collected based on the chin device The payback self-powered hearing protectors in three years. "