Download Project Overview

Final year Project 2006/07
Microcontroller and RF application for
wearable power generators
By Jeanette Mannion
Introduction

Power harvesting using wasted energy
 Energy expended by a person walking can
be tapped to power portable electronic
devices.
 The foot has proven to dissipate the most
energy while walking/running. When
walking quickly a person can generate up
to 67W.
 The sliding magnet structured generator
has proven to output the highest voltages
and power.
The sliding magnet structure

This consists of
sliding magnets
inside a small copper
coil.
 The magnets slide up
and down through
the coil causing a
voltage to be
induced.
The sliding magnet structure
Work has been carried out on this
previously to demonstrate this power
 LED’s, a digital clock, and an actual
pedometer have been powered by
this system
 But no sufficient applications have
been demonstrated

Project Goals
The ultimate goal of this project is to
build and test a micro controller and
RF system
 That could use the power produced
by wearable electromagnetic
generator structures i.e. a pedometer
system
 And further development of the
system with a sensor application

Project background investigation

This project is a combination of two
projects:
– The wearable electromagnetic generator
– And micro-controller pedometer project

Firstly, I will be reviewing the performance
of the EM generator, and the existing
circuit solutions that have been
investigated up until now by another
student.
Project Overview

Also the existing pedometer programs will
have to be tested for both the transmitter
and receiver sides.

The results obtained will help identify the
power requirements needed for such a
system.
Demonstration of the pedometer

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Once the transmitter and receiver are
placed on the board needed for testing the
programs can be downloaded to the
micro-controller
A power supply and signal generator will
be used
Programs may need to be adjusted
Current programs written are so the RF
transmits for a short time
Once steps are counted, power can be
investigated
Schematics for transmitter
System improvements

At this stage the system only counts steps
on one foot.
 LED’s will need to be changed to an LCD
display.
 Will need weight and step length inputs.
 Can improve system functionality by
calculating
– Calories burned
– Distance traveled
– And average speed
Sensor application

Further development of system with a
sensor application i.e.
– Pressure
– Temperature

Possible medical benefits
– Obesity prevention
– Body fat analysis
– Monitoring your heart rate
Time scale

Background investigation
– 3 weeks

Demo of pedometer system
– 1 month

System improvement & sensor app
– 1 month

Generator improvements
– 1 month (time permitting)
Possible problems encountered
Understanding and tweaking the
programs previously written.
 time
