A multifunctional device as both strain sensor and energy harvester for structural health monitoring

In the context of wireless sensors (WSs) autonomous in energy, this paper presents a single macro-fiber composite (MFC) piezoelectric transducer which is used for the first time as a multifunctional device as both sensor and energy harvester in a time-multiplexing manner. The MFC is used as an energy harvester to charge up a storage capacitor. When there is sufficient energy, the WS is powered up and the MFC is used as a sensor. A circuit was implemented to harvest energy from the MFC and use the MFC as a sensor. Experiment validation shows that the MFC has an accuracy of up to 97 % as sensor and the circuit harvests energy from the MFC at its maximum power point (MPP) with up to 98 % efficiency.