Design and analysis of a mechanically intelligent system for biomechanical energy harvesting

doi:10.1007/s10483-026-3353-7

Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (English Edition) ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (2): 235-254.doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10483-026-3353-7

收稿日期:2025-10-12 修回日期:2025-12-08 出版日期:2026-02-04 发布日期:2026-02-04

Design and analysis of a mechanically intelligent system for biomechanical energy harvesting

Linchuan ZHAO¹^,²^,³^,⁴, Zewen CHEN², X. CHEN⁴, Qiuhua GAO³, Zhiyuan WU³, Ge YAN³, Kexiang WEI², E. M. YEATMAN⁴^,⁵, Guang MENG²^,³, Wenming ZHANG¹^,³, Hongxiang ZOU²^,^†()

^1.SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
^2.School of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Engineering, Xiangtan 411104, Hunan Province, China
^3.State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
^4.Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U. K.
^5.College of Science & Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U. K.

Received:2025-10-12 Revised:2025-12-08 Online:2026-02-04 Published:2026-02-04
Contact: Hongxiang ZOU E-mail:zouhongxiang@163.com
Supported by:
Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 12202262, 12172127, 12032015, and 12121002), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by the China Association for Science and Technology (No. 2023QNRC001), and the Hunan Province Science and Technology Innovation Program of China (Nos. 2025JJ20012 and 2025RC4022)

摘要/Abstract

Abstract:

The rapid advancement of wearable electronic devices has paved the way for a more intelligent and interconnected world. However, ensuring the sustainable energy supply for these devices remains a critical challenge, particularly for specialized populations and professionals in demanding environments, where a lack of power can pose life-threatening risks. Herein, we propose a mechanically intelligent biomechanical energy harvesting approach that adapts to complex human motion excitations, thereby improving the energy harvesting performance. Leveraging a mechanical intelligence mechanism, the energy harvester aligns with human physiological habits, selectively activating or deactivating as needed. The system can also adapt to excitations of varying directions, amplitudes, and frequencies. Furthermore, the string tension helps reduce the impact forces on the knee joint during foot strikes. A theoretical model for the biomechanical energy harvesting system is developed to describe its dynamic and electrical characteristics, and a prototype is fabricated and tested under diverse conditions. The experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation trends, validating the effectiveness of the theoretical model. A test subject running at 8 km/h for 90 seconds can successfully power a smartphone for 20 seconds, demonstrating the viability of self-powered applications. This mechanically intelligent biomechanical energy harvesting method holds a promising solution for the sustainable power supply for wearable electronic devices.

Key words: energy harvesting, biomechanical energy, dynamics, mechanically intelligent mechanism

中图分类号:

O326

. [J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (English Edition), 2026, 47(2): 235-254.

Linchuan ZHAO, Zewen CHEN, X. CHEN, Qiuhua GAO, Zhiyuan WU, Ge YAN, Kexiang WEI, E. M. YEATMAN, Guang MENG, Wenming ZHANG, Hongxiang ZOU. Design and analysis of a mechanically intelligent system for biomechanical energy harvesting[J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (English Edition), 2026, 47(2): 235-254.

图/表 17

参考文献 51

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Reference	Electromechanical conversion	Power/(mW)	Power density
Wang et al.^[47]	Electromagnetic nanogenerator, piezoelectric nanogenerator, and TENG	87.21	2.07 mW/cm³
Han et al.^[48]	Electromagnetic nanogenerator and piezoelectric nanogenerator	115.52	/
Hao et al.^[49]	Electromagnetic nanogenerator and TENG	357	1.67 W/kg
Wang et al.^[50]	Electromagnetic nanogenerator	11.2	0.252 mW/cm³
Zhang et al.^[51]	Electromagnetic nanogenerator and TENG	3.9	0.08 mW/cm³
Present	Electromagnetic nanogenerator and TENG	3 530^*	12.67 mW/cm³ 7.91 W/kg
^* This value is the average power or calculated from the average power

Design and analysis of a mechanically intelligent system for biomechanical energy harvesting

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