Comparison of Energy Harvesting Techniques for Wearable Activity Monitoring Devices

Piezoelectric and electromagnetic generation are the two most commonly used energy harvesting techniques. The aim of this paper is to compare the two techniques in terms of their potential for powering a wearable monitoring device. An electromagnetic generator and a piezoelectric system are proposed to power an activity monitoring device located in the shoe. Results to date indicate that the electromagnetic generator produces the best output power levels.