Self‐Powered Trajectory, Velocity, and Acceleration Tracking of a Moving Object/Body using a Triboelectric Sensor

Motion tracking is of great importance in a wide range of fields such as automation, robotics, security, sports and entertainment. Here, a self‐powered, single‐electrode‐based triboelectric sensor (TES) is reported to accurately detect the movement of a moving object/body in two dimensions. Based on the coupling of triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction, the movement of an object on the top surface of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer induces changes in the electrical potential of the patterned aluminum electrodes underneath. From the measurements of the output performance (open‐circuit voltage and short‐circuit current), the motion information about the object, such as trajectory, velocity, and acceleration is derived in conformity with the preset values. Moreover, the TES can detect motions of more than one objects moving at the same time. In addition, applications of the TES are demonstrated by using LED illuminations as real‐time indicators to visualize the movement of a sliding object and the walking steps of a person.

[1]  R. Rinehart,et al.  Three-dimensional storm motion detection by conventional weather radar , 1978, Nature.

[2]  Alexander Borst,et al.  Principles of visual motion detection , 1989, Trends in Neurosciences.

[3]  S. Waltman,et al.  Micromachined silicon tunnel sensor for motion detection , 1991 .

[4]  James C. Lin,et al.  Microwave sensing of physiological movement and volume change: a review. , 1992, Bioelectromagnetics.

[5]  D. Wollmann,et al.  Force microscopy of ion-containing polymer surfaces: morphology and charge structure , 1992 .

[6]  Gaetano Borriello,et al.  Location Systems for Ubiquitous Computing , 2001, Computer.

[7]  Hiroshi Yamaguchi,et al.  Motion detection of a micromechanical resonator embedded in a d.c. SQUID , 2008 .

[8]  Wenzhuo Wu,et al.  Controlled Growth of Aligned Polymer Nanowires , 2009 .

[9]  K. Hata,et al.  A stretchable carbon nanotube strain sensor for human-motion detection. , 2011, Nature nanotechnology.

[10]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Flexible triboelectric generator , 2012 .

[11]  Z. Wang.  Self‐Powered Nanosensors and Nanosystems , 2012, Advanced materials.

[12]  Caofeng Pan,et al.  Triboelectric-generator-driven pulse electrodeposition for micropatterning. , 2012, Nano letters.

[13]  Long Lin,et al.  Nanoscale triboelectric-effect-enabled energy conversion for sustainably powering portable electronics. , 2012, Nano letters.

[14]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Triboelectric nanogenerator built on suspended 3D spiral structure as vibration and positioning sensor and wave energy harvester. , 2013, ACS nano.

[15]  Woonbong Hwang,et al.  Triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting pendulum oscillation energy , 2013 .

[16]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Human skin based triboelectric nanogenerators for harvesting biomechanical energy and as self-powered active tactile sensor system. , 2013, ACS nano.

[17]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Triboelectric nanogenerator as self-powered active sensors for detecting liquid/gaseous water/ethanol , 2013 .

[18]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Sliding-triboelectric nanogenerators based on in-plane charge-separation mechanism. , 2013, Nano letters.

[19]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting wind energy and as self-powered wind vector sensor system. , 2013, ACS nano.

[20]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Triboelectric active sensor array for self-powered static and dynamic pressure detection and tactile imaging. , 2013, ACS nano.

[21]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Toward large-scale energy harvesting by a nanoparticle-enhanced triboelectric nanogenerator. , 2013, Nano letters.

[22]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Single-electrode-based sliding triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered displacement vector sensor system. , 2013, ACS nano.

[23]  Gang Cheng,et al.  Triboelectric Nanogenerator as an Active UV Photodetector , 2014 .

[24]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Radial-arrayed rotary electrification for high performance triboelectric generator , 2014, Nature Communications.

[25]  Long Lin,et al.  Theoretical Investigation and Structural Optimization of Single‐Electrode Triboelectric Nanogenerators , 2014 .

[26]  Simiao Niu,et al.  Nanometer Resolution Self‐Powered Static and Dynamic Motion Sensor Based on Micro‐Grated Triboelectrification , 2014, Advanced materials.

[27]  Jun Chen,et al.  Triboelectric sensor for self-powered tracking of object motion inside tubing. , 2014, ACS nano.

[28]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Dual-mode triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting water energy and as a self-powered ethanol nanosensor. , 2014, ACS nano.

[29]  Chenguo Hu,et al.  Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Harvesting Vibration Energy in Full Space and as Self‐Powered Acceleration Sensor , 2014 .

[30]  Wei Tang,et al.  Harvesting energy from automobile brake in contact and non-contact mode by conjunction of triboelectrication and electrostatic-induction processes , 2014 .

[31]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  A theoretical study of grating structured triboelectric nanogenerators , 2014 .

[32]  Sihong Wang,et al.  Freestanding Triboelectric‐Layer‐Based Nanogenerators for Harvesting Energy from a Moving Object or Human Motion in Contact and Non‐contact Modes , 2014, Advanced materials.

[33]  Long Lin,et al.  Multi-layered disk triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting hydropower , 2014 .