Title: IEEE UFFC Distinguished Lecturer: “Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting”
Speaker: Dr. Kenji Uchino, Professor Electrical Engineering, Director, International Center for Actuators & Transducers, Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University
Date: Friday, April 6, 2018
Time: 10:00am-11:00am
Location: NIA, Room 137
Abstract: Energy harvesting from wasted or unused power has been the topic of discussion for a long time. This paper focuses on harvesting energy from mechanical vibrations using piezoelectric transducers. We will consider comprehensively three major phases/steps associated with piezoelectric energy harvesting: (i) mechanical-mechanical energy transfer, including mechanical stability of the piezoelectric transducer under large stresses, and mechanical impedance matching, (ii) mechanical-electrical energy transduction, relating with the electromechanical coupling factor in the composite transducer structure, and (iii) electrical-electrical energy transfer, including electrical impedance matching, such as a DC/DC converter to accumulate the energy into a rechargeable battery. The problem found in the current research teams is on a narrow research area of each above phase. In order to provide comprehensive strategies on how to improve the efficiency of the harvesting system, I provide a general guideline for piezoelectric energy harvesting systems.
We dealt with detailed energy flow analysis in piezoelectric energy harvesting systems with stiff “Cymbals” (~100 mW) and flexible piezoelectric transducers (~1 mW) under cyclic mechanical load, in order to provide comprehensive strategies on how to improve the efficiency of the harvesting system. Energy transfer rates are practically evaluated for all three steps above. For your information, the former “Cymbal” is to be applied to the automobile engine vibration, while the latter flexible transducer is to the human-wearable energy-harvesting system.
We should also point out here that there is another research school of piezo-energy harvesting; that is, small energy harvesting (mW or lower) for signal transfer applications, where the efficiency is not a primary objective. This school usually treats a burst/pulse load to generate instantaneous electric energy for transmitting signals for a short period (100 ms ~ 10 s) without accumulating the electricity in a rechargeable battery. Successful piezoelectric products in the commercial market belong mostly to this category at present, including “Lightning Switch” [remote switch for room lights, with using a piezoelectric unimorph component], and the 25 mm caliber “Programmable Ammunition” [electricity generation with a multilayer piezo-actuator under shot impact], both of which were originally designed in our group (spin-off company, Micromechatronics Inc., State College, PA).
Biography: Kenji Uchino, one of the pioneers in piezoelectric actuators, is Founding Director of International Center for Actuators and Transducers and Professor of EE and MatSE, Distinguished Honors Faculty of Schreyer Honors College at The Penn State University. He was Associate Director at The US Office of Naval Research – Global Tokyo Office (2010-2014). He was also the Founder and Senior Vice President of Micromechatronics Inc., State College, PA (2004-20010). He became Research Associate/Assistant Professor (1976) in Physical Electronics Department at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, then, joined Sophia University, Japan as Associate Professor in Physics Department in 1985. He was recruited from The Penn State University in 1991. He was the Founding Chair of Smart Actuators/Sensors Committee, Japan Technology Transfer Association sponsored by Ministry of Economics, Trading and Industries, Japan (1987-2014), and is a long-term Chair of International Conference on New Actuators, Messe Bremen, Germany since 1997.
His research interest is in solid state physics, especially in ferroelectrics and piezoelectrics, including basic research on theory, materials, device designing and fabrication processes, as well as application development of solid state actuators/sensors for precision positioners, micro-robotics, ultrasonic motors, smart structures, piezoelectric transformers and energy harvesting. K. Uchino is known as the discoverer/inventor of the following topics: (1) lead magnesium niobate (PMN)-based electrostricive materials, (2) cofired multilayer piezoelectric actuators (MLA), (3) superior piezoelectricity in relaxor-lead titanate-based piezoelectric single crystals (PZN-PT), (4) photostrictive phenomenon, (5) shape memory ceramics, (6) magnetoelectric composite sensors, (7) transient response control scheme of piezoelectric actuators (Pulse-Drive technique), (8) micro ultrasonic motors, (9) multilayer disk piezoelectric transformers, and (10) piezoelectric loss characterization methodology. He has authored 570 papers, 75 books and 31 patents in the ceramic actuator area.
He is a Fellow of American Ceramic Society, and IEEE, and also is a recipient of 29 awards, including Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE UFFC Society (2018), International Ceramic Award from Global Academy of Ceramics (2016), IEEE-UFFC Ferroelectrics Recognition Award (2013), Inventor Award from Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems, Virginia Tech (2011), Premier Research Award from The Penn State Engineering Alumni Society (2011).
Kenji Uchino, one of the pioneers in piezoelectric actuators, is Founding Director of International Center for Actuators and Transducers and Professor of EE and MatSE, Distinguished Honors Faculty of Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University. He was Associate Director (Global Technology Awareness) at The US Office of Naval Research – Global Tokyo Office as IPA from 2010 till 2014. He was also the Founder and Senior Vice President & CTO of Micromechatronics Inc., State College, PA. Uchino was awarded his MS and Ph. D. degrees from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. He became Research Associate/Assistant Professor (1976) in Physical Electronics Department at this university, then, he joined Sophia University, Japan as Associate Professor in Physics Department in 1985. He was recruited from The Penn State University in 1991. He was also involved with Space Shuttle Utilizing Committee in NASDA, Japan during 1986-88, and Vice President of NF Electronic Instruments, USA, during 1992-94. He was the Founding Chair of Smart Actuators/Sensors Committee, Japan Technology Transfer Association sponsored by Ministry of Economics, Trading and Industries, Japan from 1987 to 2014, and is a long-term Chair of International Conference on New Actuators, Messe Bremen, Germany since 1997. He was also the associate editor for Journal of Advanced Performance Materials, J. Intelligent Materials Systems and Structures and Japanese Journal of Applied Physics. Uchino served as Administrative Committee Member (Elected) of IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control (1998-2000) and as Secretary of American Ceramic Society, Electronics Division (2002-2003).
His research interest is in solid state physics, especially in ferroelectrics and piezoelectrics, including basic research on theory, materials, device designing and fabrication processes, as well as application development of solid state actuators/sensors for precision positioners, micro-robotics, ultrasonic motors, smart structures, piezoelectric transformers and energy harvesting. K. Uchino is known as the discoverer/inventor of the following famous topics: (1) lead magnesium niobate (PMN)-based electrostricive materials, (2) cofired multilayer piezoelectric actuators (MLA), (3) superior piezoelectricity in relaxor-lead titanate-based piezoelectric single crystals (PZN-PT), (4) photostrictive phenomenon, (5) shape memory ceramics, (6) magnetoelectric composite sensors, (7) transient response control scheme of piezoelectric actuators (Pulse-Drive technique), (8) micro ultrasonic motors, (9) multilayer disk piezoelectric transformers, and (10) piezoelectric loss characterization methodology. On-going research projects are also in the above areas, especially in the last three items (8), (9) and (10) most recently. He has authored 570 papers, 75 books and 31 patents in the ceramic actuator area. 47 papers/books among his publications have been cited more than 100 times, leading to his average h-index 70. Total citation number 25,600 and annual average citation number 480 are very high in College of Engineering.
He was also awarded his MBA degree from St. Francis University (2008), and authored a textbook, “Entrepreneurship for Engineers” for College of Business. He is a Fellow of American Ceramic Societysince 1997, a Fellow of IEEE since 2012, and also is a recipient of 29 awards, including Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE UFFC Society (2018), International Ceramic Award from Global Academy of Ceramics (2016), IEEE-UFFC Ferroelectrics Recognition Award (2013), Inventor Award from Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems, Virginia Tech (2011), Premier Research Award from The Penn State Engineering Alumni Society (2011), the Japanese Society of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics Award on Outstanding Academic Book (2008), SPIE (Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers), Smart Product Implementation Award (2007), R&D 100 Award (2007), ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Adaptive Structures Prize (2005), Outstanding Research Award from Penn State Engineering Society (1996), Academic Scholarship from Nissan Motors Scientific Foundation (1990), Best Movie Memorial Award at Japan Scientific Movie Festival.