Patent ID: 7898096

Claim:
An apparatus for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy comprising: a plurality of electrodes disposed over at least one substrate and being arranged in a predetermined pattern; a fluidic body comprising at least two immiscible liquids, at least one of said immiscible liquids being an electrically conductive liquid and at least one of said immiscible liquids being a dielectric liquid; said fluidic body having at least one dielectric liquid and at least one electrically conductive liquid out of said at least two immiscible liquids spatially separated in a plurality of distinct regions arranged in a predetermined alternating pattern; said fluidic body being disposed in close proximity to said plurality of electrodes and being electrically insulated from at least one electrode out of said plurality of electrodes; said fluidic body being adapted to reversibly move as a whole under the action of an applied mechanical force, wherein said motion as a whole of said fluidic body preserves relative positions of the liquid regions with respect to each other, so that said predetermined alternating pattern remains substantially intact during the motion, wherein each cycle of said reversible motion of said fluidic body causing multiple alternations of the area of overlap between the conductive liquid regions of said fluidic body and at least one electrically insulated electrode; said multiple alternations of the area of overlap causing multiple alternations of electrical capacitance between at least two electrodes of said plurality of electrodes; an electrical circuit means, electrically coupled to said at least two electrodes of said plurality of electrodes, wherein said electrical circuit means is configured to apply bias voltage to said at least two electrodes and transfer electrical current generated in response to said multiple alternations in electrical capacitance to power consumption means.