Nizar B Lajnef

US Patent:

20080047355, Feb 28, 2008

Filed:

Aug 24, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/895635

Inventors:

Shantanu Chakrabartty - Williamston MI, US
Nizar Lajnef - Okemos MI, US
Niell Elvin - East Lansing MI, US
Amit Gore - East Lansing MI, US

Assignee:

Board of Trustees of Michigan State University - East Lansing MI

International Classification:

G01N 3/32

US Classification:

073808000

Abstract:

A self-powered sensor is provided for fatigue monitoring and other low power requirement applications. The self-powered sensor is comprised of: a piezoelectric transducer; a non-volatile memory comprised of at least one floating gate transistor; and a current reference circuit adapted to receive a voltage signal from the piezoelectric transducer and operable to output an injection current into the non-volatile memory. The current reference circuit may employ a floating gate transistor operating in a weak-inversion mode.

US Patent:

20140070670, Mar 13, 2014

Filed:

Aug 6, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/960356

Inventors:

Nizar Lajnef - Lansing MI, US

Assignee:

Board of Trustees of Michigan State University - East Lansing MI

International Classification:

H02N 2/18

US Classification:

310339

Abstract:

An energy harvesting device has been developed for low frequency applications. The energy harvesting device is comprised of a buckling member having a longitudinal axis and configured to exhibit multiple snap-through events in response to a deformation applied axially thereto, where the buckling member is constrained laterally in relation to the longitudinal axis; and at least one cantilever extends outwardly from the buckling member. The cantilever(s) is coated with a piezoelectric material and supports a mass disposed at an opposing end from which it is attached to the buckling member. In this arrangement, the buckling member is able to respond to axial deformations occurring at a frequency less than one Hertz.