Biomechanical Energy Harvesting: Optimization, Control and Biomechanics

便携式电子产品和可穿戴设备的无处不在，以及我们对它们的依赖，都受到持续电源的限制。目前，这些设备几乎完全由电池供电。电池的重量和有限的能量限制了运行时间和系统性能。对于军队、救灾人员、野外科学家和其他依赖便携式电子设备取得成功的行动来说，这尤其是一个问题。生物机械能量采集器(BMEH)通过人类在日常活动(行走或跑步)中的运动产生电力，成为为便携式电子产品提供动力的电池的可行替代品。理想的BMEH应该在不影响用户正常活动的情况下产生大量电力。将生物力学的理解与BMEH优化相结合是实现这一目标的关键。这种设计方法已被证明在可穿戴外骨骼开发中是有效的。经过适当设计和控制的外骨骼已被证明可以帮助使用者减少行走时的新陈代谢努力。然而，与外骨骼领域相比，基于生物力学的BMEHs的设计优化和智能控制还相对落后。短期目标是在了解能量收集对人类行走生物力学的影响的同时，开发BMEH设计优化和智能控制方法。BMEH的机械系统将通过选择适当的收割机参数(例如，传动比、发电机和输出电气负载)进行优化。将实施开环控制、人在环控制和使用可穿戴传感器控制三种控制策略，以最大限度地提高功率生产，同时将用户工作降至最低。此外，还将进行一系列人体实验，以研究使用BMEH时的学习、适应、性别差异和步态稳定性。在5年的时间里，两名博士和三名MSCs将接受生物力学系统设计、控制、生物力学测量、人体实验设计和数据分析方面的培训。能量收集的研究具有广泛的影响，可以惠及许多领域的应用。士兵在72小时的任务中可能携带多达25磅的电池。减轻负荷，提供创新的电力解决方案，将增加士兵的自主性，减轻士兵的身体和认知负担。对于下马的士兵来说，BMEH可能是一种重量轻、成本低的可靠电力解决方案。能源采集技术的进步将为其他需要可靠持续电力的应用创造价值，例如电动假肢和用于健康应用的可穿戴传感器。所获得的知识也有助于辅助装置和外骨骼在能源优化和电源管理方面的开发。这些能源收集技术的商业化将直接惠及加拿大经济。

The ubiquity of portable electronics and wearable devices, and our reliance on them, are constrained by the availability of continual power source. Currently, these devices are almost exclusively powered with batteries. The weight and limited energy in batteries limits the duration of operation and system performance. This is particularly an issue for military, disaster relief workers, field scientists, and other operations in which their success relies on portable electronics. Biomechanical energy harvesters (BMEHs) that generate electricity from human movement during daily activities (walking or running), become a viable alternative to batteries for powering portable electronics. An ideal BMEHs should generate a large amount of electricity without disturbing the user's normal activity. Integrating the understanding of biomechanics with BMEH optimization is the key to achieve this goal. This design methodology has been proven to be effective in wearable exoskeletons development. Properly designed and controlled exoskeletons have been shown to assist the users in decreasing the metabolic effort of walking. However, the design optimization and intelligent control of BMEHs grounded on biomechanics is lacking behind when compared with the exoskeleton field. The short-term objective is to develop BMEH design optimization, and intelligent control methodology in parallel to the understanding of the effects of energy harvesting on human walking biomechanics. Mechanical system of BMEHs will be optimized through selection of proper harvester parameters (e.g., gear ratio, generator, and output electrical load). Three control strategies, open-loop control, human-in-the-loop control, and control with wearable sensors, will be implemented to maximize the power production while minimizing user effort. In addition, a series of human experiments will be performed to study learning, adaptation, gender difference, and gait stability in BMEHs usage. Over a 5yr period, two PhDs and three MScs will be trained in biomechanical system design, control, biomechanics measurements, human experimentation design and data analysis. Research on energy harvesting has a broad impact and could benefit many fields of application. Soldiers may carry up to 25lbs of batteries during a 72-hour mission. Lightening the load and providing innovative power solutions will increase soldiers' autonomy, decrease physical and cognitive burden of a soldier. BMEHs could be a light weight, and low-cost reliable power solution for dismounted soldiers. The advance of energy harvesting technologies will create values for other applications that require reliable continual electricity such as powered prostheses, and wearable sensors for health applications. The knowledge gained also benefits the assistive device and exoskeleton development in energy optimization and power management. Commercialization of these energy harvesting technologies will directly benefit the Canadian economy.