The generators are designed to power wireless sensors and other devices that monitor machinery and processes such as the condition of plant equipment. The microgenerator converts kinetic energy from vibration of equipment running at mains frequency (50 or 60 Hz) into electrical energy and can generate up to 100 µW when attached to a surface exhibiting a minimum vibration magnitude of 16 mg between 59 and 60 Hz. This is enough to power a wireless transmitter sending up to 6 kbytes of condition monitoring data every few minutes, or smaller amounts of data, such as temperature reading, several times a second.
Perpetuum Ltd., Epsilon House, Southampton Science Park, Southampton, SO16 7NS,UK, 44 23 8076 5888, www.perpetuum.com