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Multi-source Harvesting Systems for Electric Energy Generation on Smart Hip Prostheses

2013; Springer Science+Business Media; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-3-642-38256-7_6

1865-0937

Marco P. Soares dos Santos, Jorge Ferreira, António Ramos, Ricardo Pascoal, Raul Morais, Nuno Silva, J.A. Simões, Manuel J. C. S. Reis, António Festas, P. Marques Dos Santos,

Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials

The development of smart orthopaedic implants is being considered as an effective solution to ensure their everlasting life span. The availability of electric power to supply active mechanisms of smart prostheses has remained a critical problem. This paper reports the first implementation of a new concept of energy harvesting systems applied to hip prostheses: the multi-source generation of electric energy. The reliability of the power supply mechanisms is strongly increased with the application of this new concept. Three vibration-based harvesters, operating in true parallel to harvest energy during human gait, were implemented on a Metabloc TM hip prosthesis to validate the concept. They were designed to use the angular movements on the flexion-extension, abduction-adduction and inward-outward rotation axes, over the femoral component, to generate electric power. The performance of each generator was tested for different amplitudes and frequencies of operation. Electric power up to 55 μJ/s was harvested. The overall function of smart hip prostheses can remain performing even if two of the generators get damaged. Furthermore, they are safe and autonomous throughout the life span of the implant.