| Scott Meninger, Jose Oscar Mur-Miranda, Rajeev Amirtharajah, Anantha Chandrakasan and Jeffrey Lang
The paper presents a system designed to convert ambient mechanical vibrations into electrical energy for powering low-power electronic systems. The core of the system is a variable capacitor fabricated using MEMS technology, which can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy through charge and voltage-constrained conversion cycles. The system also includes a low-power controller IC fabricated in a 0.6μm CMOS process, optimized to minimize losses. The controller directs the energy conversion process and supplies power to the load. The paper discusses the design and optimization of the MEMS device, power electronics, and controller architecture, with a focus on maximizing energy conversion efficiency. Experimental results show that the system is expected to produce 8μW of usable power, making it suitable for self-powered, low-maintenance electronic applications.The paper presents a system designed to convert ambient mechanical vibrations into electrical energy for powering low-power electronic systems. The core of the system is a variable capacitor fabricated using MEMS technology, which can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy through charge and voltage-constrained conversion cycles. The system also includes a low-power controller IC fabricated in a 0.6μm CMOS process, optimized to minimize losses. The controller directs the energy conversion process and supplies power to the load. The paper discusses the design and optimization of the MEMS device, power electronics, and controller architecture, with a focus on maximizing energy conversion efficiency. Experimental results show that the system is expected to produce 8μW of usable power, making it suitable for self-powered, low-maintenance electronic applications.