Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25879232›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2015

Harvesting biomechanical energy or carrying batteries? An evaluation method based on a comparison of metabolic power.

Eliran Schertzer, Raziel Riemer

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Eliran SchertzerDepartment of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva, Israel. scherzter@gmail.com.
Raziel RiemerDepartment of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva, Israel. rriemer@bgu.ac.il.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHarvesting energy from human motion is an innovative alternative to using batteries as a source of electrical power for portable devices. Yet there are no guidelines as to whether energy harvesting should be preferred over batteries. This paper introduces an approach to determine which source of energy should be preferred. The proposed approach compares the metabolic power while harvesting energy and while using batteries (or any other power supply, e.g., solar panels), which provide equal amount of energy. Energy harvesting is preferred over batteries if the metabolic power required to harvest the energy is lower than that required to carry the batteries. Metabolic power can be experimentally measured. However, for design purposes, it is essential to assess differences in metabolic power as a function of the device parameters. THE MODEL: To this end, based on the proposed approach, we develop a mathematical model that considers the following parameters: the device's mass, its location on the human body, the electrical power output, cost of harvesting (COH), walking time, and the specific energy of the battery.

methodWe apply the model in two ways. First, we conduct case studies to examine current ankle, knee, and back energy harvesting devices, and assess the walking times that would make these devices preferable over batteries. Second, we conduct a design scenarios analysis, which examines future device developments.

resultsThe case studies reveal that to be preferred over batteries, current harvesting devices located on the ankle, knee, or back would require walking for 227 hours, 98 hours, or 260 hours, respectively. This would replace batteries weighing 6.81 kg (ankle), 5.88 kg (knee), or 2.6 kg (back). The design scenarios analysis suggests that for harvesting devices to be beneficial with less than 25 walking hours, future development should focus on light harvesting devices (less than 0.2 kg) with low COH (equal or lower than 0). Finally, a comparison with portable commercial solar panels reveals that under ideal sun exposure conditions, solar panels outperform the current harvesting devices.

conclusionsOur model offers a tool for assessing the performance of energy harvesting devices.

Indexed as

Bioelectric Energy SourcesElectric Power SuppliesAlgorithmsAnkleBiomechanical PhenomenaHumansKneeMetabolismModels, TheoreticalRoboticsSolar EnergyWalking

Identifiers

PMID25879232
PMCPMC4375935

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.