Nanogenerators, which convert ambient energy from thermal or mechanical sources into usable current, is an energy-harvesting invention that has wide application across the IoT. Easily fabricated, lightweight and small, nanogenerators can be used as sensors and to replace batteries for IoT devices in medicine, automotive, consumer, environmental and more. Of the three available types, triboelectric nanogenerators appear to show the most promise in producing higher voltage and power density.

Energy harvesting has been around for several years and is important to conserving resources and cutting costs. Ambient RF energy—energy converted from commercial radar and microwave sources—has potential to power wireless sensor nodes in consumer devices and wireless networks, or to recharge batteries installed in difficult to reach locations. Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) takes the application even further by using the same RF signal to transmit both power and data.

Nanogenerators, which convert ambient energy from thermal or mechanical sources into usable current, is an energy-harvesting invention that has wide application across the IoT. Easily fabricated, lightweight and small, nanogenerators can be used as sensors and to replace batteries for IoT devices in medicine, automotive, consumer, environmental and more. Of the three available types, triboelectric nanogenerators appear to show the most promise in producing higher voltage and power density.