Evolutionary multi-objective design optimisation of energy harvesting MEMS: The case of a Piezoelectric

The design and optimisation of Energy Harvesting (EH) Micro-Electromechanical-Systems (MEMS) is of particular interest in this research. The application of such devices is becoming an attractive alternative to the traditional use of batteries in wireless and body sensor networks. An evolutionary Multi-Objective Design Optimisation (DO) Framework is developed to experiment with one class of EH-MEMS, namely, Piezoelectric, using a reconstructed analytical model of the system. The application of such a Framework in this application domain is unprecedented and has already shown very promising results and in some cases it outperformed the human engineer. A thorough analysis of the results has been undertaken, which reveals interesting conclusions about the behaviour and physics of such devices. Besides, the main features of the Framework are explored enabling the enhancement of the MEMS-DO.