December 25th 2019
I’m please to announce that Creathadh Energies has been awarded its first NSF SBIR phase I award.
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to use novel energy harvesting techniques to benefit the expanding wearables market and improve the lives of patients who use prosthetics and orthotics. New integrated circuit technology enables vibration energy harvesting from a physically much smaller vibration harvester. These smaller harvesters enable multiple applications. For example, battery life in wearables to track heart rate and steps walked could be extended. Also, fabric-based vibration energy harvesting applications could be realized in military and first responder uniforms to power communication devices. Similarly, for commercial markets clothing-integrated sensors for digital health applications could be powered by vibration harvesting. Finally, first markets will be explored for vibration harvesting systems integrated in prosthetics or orthotics to improve the quality of life for patients. A sensor system in orthotics could detect medical complications in patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy. These new energy harvesting circuits could potentially also power sensors integrated into prosthetics that could identify structural and mechanical problems.
