Current animal studies are limited by the requirement for batteries in animal telemetry devices. Problems include limited operational life and duty cycle of the devices, as well as limiting the species studied due to battery weight. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of using animal motion to generate electricity to power animal telemetry devices. Our technology will deliver a non-invasive means of generating sufficient electrical power from host animals' motion to enable long-term functioning of telemetry devices. As the host animal moves during the course of its daily activities, energy generated by motion and acceleration will be converted to electrical power for the attached telemetry device. The elimination of, or reduced reliance on, batteries will enable a new generation of small, long-lasting telemetry devices for use in studying threatened, endangered, or poorly understood animal species. The smaller size will allow animal telemetry devices to be developed for species that have not had effective monitoring devices previously. The longer duration devices will enable animals to be studied over longer periods of time, perhaps for an animal's lifetime. These studies will enable effective conservation strategies for these threatened and endangered species as they are contingent on acquiring specific knowledge of the species' biology. With TenXsys power innovations, integrated with our already developed animal telemetry devices, many species of animals can be studied, and more effective conservation and restoration strategies can be developed. OBJECTIVES: The overall objective of the project is to demonstrate the feasibility of generating sufficient power from animal motion and acceleration to operate a telemetry device. The following technical objectives will be addressed to determine the technical and feasibility of a tuned mass/alternator system used in an animal telemetry device. First, using existing TenXsys animal telemetry devices, empirical data on the motion and acceleration of test subjects will be collected. Second, the tuned mass/accelerometer design variables will be optimized for maximum power generation. Third, the feasibility of matching the power-scavenging output to the power input will be assessed. Fourth, the feasibility of the broad application of the power-scavenging output to the power input will be assessed. Finally, an implementation plan will be developed. APPROACH: Our cross-functional project team consists of two TenXsys personnel, Mr. Riskey and Mr. Huot, who have project management, software, firmware, and electro-mechanical engineering skills, and two BSU collaborators, Dr. Gardner and Mr. Bates, who have electro-mechanical and biology expertise respectively. Mr. Riskey and Mr. Huot will research the telemetry and electro-mechanical components of this project: the, controller, firmware, and energy storage circuitry. Mr. Riskey and Mr. Huot developed the TenXsys animal telemetry device and are familiar with telemetry device design issues. Dr. Gardner will direct and assist Mr. Huot in the data specification, simulation, and evaluation of the power-scavenging component of our research. Mr. Bates will provide information describing the physiology and behaviors of homing pigeons and other animals, as well as handle test subjects. Mr. Bates will also act as an example end user of our proposed research, providing usage requirements and validation of design decisions to ensure practicality. A TenXsys animal telemetry device will be configured with accelerometers as a data logger to measure and record forces on a homing pigeon subject. The data collection device will be verified in the laboratory for proper functionality. The data collection device will be attached to homing pigeons to gather motion and acceleration data. The homing pigeons will then be allowed to fly and move on the ground while instrumented for 24 hours. The data collection device will be recovered from the subject and acceleration data will be analyzed. Our tuned mass/alternator design and power conversion subsystems will be simulated using the data collection device data as inputs. Electronics to adjust the power scavenging system's natural frequency will be added to our system simulation. The data and results will be assessed to determine the applicability of the technology as a scalable technology that is capable of optimal energy-scavenging on as wide a range of species as possible. The computer simulation results will be assessed to determine the feasibility of the technology. The Phase I final report will be created and submitted to the NSF using FastLane. An implementation plan will be created in preparation for our Phase II proposal. PROGRESS: 2004/05 TO 2004/12 This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project demonstrated the feasibility of using animal motion to generate power for animal telemetry devices. The Phase I research focused on avian species to prove the feasibility of a non-invasive means of generating sufficient electrical power from host bird's motion that can be integrated with TenXsys' already developed animal telemetry devices. The Phase I work used homing pigeons and captive wood ducks to gather motion data that was then used in simulations to determine the amount of mechanical energy available for a scavenging device. Developing an instrument that was light-weight and capable of sampling 3 axes of acceleration at 60 Hz, with at least 8 hours of storage space, was challenging and required the use of TenXsys R&D funds. The total weight of the first version electronics, battery, packaging, and harness material was 18.8 grams. Our aspirational goal for total weight was 9 grams, and the maximum allowable weight was 15 grams (3% of the host bird's body weight). Since our initial assembly exceeded the weight limit, we redesigned the electronics, case, and attachment means. A different battery was selected, a 1/3N, 3V, 320 mAH, weight 3.6 gm, for a weight savings of 5.8 grams. The base, used to attach the electronics to the bird, was simplified to be a strip of Velcro punched with slots for threading the Teflon ribbon. The case was reduced to a length of heat shrinkable tubing, with a strip of adhesive backed Velcro that attached to the base Velcro. The total weight of version 2 electronics, battery, base, case, and harness material is 10.8 grams, within our allowable range. The model used in the design study was a simple, second order, spring-mass model with linear energy conversion equations. The charging circuit is modeled as a pure resistive load. The oscillator was modeled in Simulink based on a transfer function. The input of the model was a Matlab vector containing the actual time record of the z-axis acceleration from the homing pigeon studies. The power (rate of energy converted) output of this model was given by the voltage of the generator circuit and the current delivered to the load. This quantity is specific power as it indicates the amount of power generated per unit mass of the proof mass. The Simulink scaling factor for mass in the computation was set at 1 gram. All results used a 1 gram proof mass, but they scale directly. Using a script file in Matlab, the simulation was run for a wide range of input parameter values. Knowing that the input signal contained a dominant frequency component around 7.5 Hz, the parameter values were chosen to bracket that value. In addition, a range of parameter values were chosen so that we could see its effect on the energy generated. The simulation showed a range of available energy from 2mJ up to 11 mJ of total energy. This is sufficient energy to trickle charge a small rechargeable battery, thus proving the feasibility of our energy-scavenging animal telemetry device for avian species. IMPACT: 2004/05 TO 2004/12 This technology will allow scientists and researchers to track animals in remote regions and watch large scale movements as never before. Ecological studies will provide the insight to the trends of natural history, and will enable humans to coexist peacefully with all species of animals. Through the research that the expanded wildlife studies will perform, our natural resources and environment can be better understood and protected, and more informed land management decisions made. The ambient power device developed will be integrated into various small electronic devices such as animal telemetry devices and other devices that are regularly moved about such as cell phones, PDAs, hearing aids, pedometers, or pace makers. These devices will allow motion and acceleration to be converted electrical power to recharge batteries for longer-term device operation without user intervention, or to reduce the dependence on batteries altogether. Our kinetic energy scavenger will be very attractive to both the battery manufacturers and the consumer device manufacturers. As per business impact, a successful kinetic energy scavenger offers significant competitive advantages by being lighter weight, enabling longer-duration studies, allowing more sensors instead of batteries, and being maintenance-free relative to battery or solar powered animal telemetry devices. In the consumer products market, our kinetic energy scavenger will provide cell phones, PDAs, and laptops a means of recharging their batteries as the devices are being moved about, thus providing longer on the go operation
