Monitoring Devices with Energy-Harvesting Power Sources

摘要

An apparatus worn by a subject includes an energy-harvesting power source, at least one physiological sensor and/or at least one environmental sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source. The at least one physiological sensor senses physiological information from the subject and the at least one environmental sensor senses environmental information in a vicinity of the subject. The energy-harvesting power source may include one or more of the following: a solar cell module configured to collect and store solar energy, a piezoelectric device or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device configured to collect and store energy caused by movement of the subject and/or energy emanating from an environment in which the subject is located, a thermoelectric or thermovoltaic device configured to collect and store energy caused by thermal energy or temperature gradients in an environment in which the subject is located, a cranking or winding mechanism configured to store mechanical energy.

主权项

1. An earpiece module configured to be attached to an ear of a subject, the earpiece module comprising:
an energy-harvesting power source; and at least one sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense physiological information from the subject and/or environmental information in a vicinity of the subject.