Self-powered Inertial Sensor based on Carbon Nanotube Yarn

Abstract

Inertial sensors are devices that can monitor inertial movements, such as linear acceleration and angular motions, in industrial and human systems. For portable and wearable applications, inertial sensors must be self-powered and miniaturized. In this article, we report a self-powered inertial sensor with high accuracy based on carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn. By harvesting the mechanical energy of a coiled CNT yarn, our inertial sensor can detect inertial movements without the need for external power. For practical applications, the sensor can monitor various inertial movements, such as vibrations, external impacts, tilting, and body motions (squatting, walking, running, and jumping motions). These findings suggest that the self-powered inertial sensor exhibits the advantages of portability and wearability in industrial and human system applications.