Patent ID: 7652386
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: A61F,F03G,H02K

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for harvesting energy from motion of one or more human or other animal joints, the apparatus comprising: a generator coupled to one or more human or animal joints for converting mechanical energy associated with motion of the one or more joints into corresponding electrical energy; one or more sensors operatively coupled to a body of the human or animal for sensing one or more corresponding characteristics associated with motion of the body of the human or animal and for generating one or more corresponding signals representative of such characteristics; and a controller connected to receive the one or more corresponding signals and configured to generate an output signal for modifying at least one of: based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics; wherein at least one of: the first coupling is modifiable, in response to the output signal, between: the second coupling is modifiable, in response to the output signal, between: wherein the controller is configured to assess whether the motion of the one or more joints is associated with mutualistic conditions or non-mutualistic conditions based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics and to use the output signal to selectively engage energy harvesting when motion of the one or more joints is associated with particular mutualistic conditions and to selectively disengage energy harvesting when motion of the one or more joints is associated with non-mutualistic conditions.