Executive Summary : | Biomedical sensors and implants are typically powered by batteries, which are often impractical for implanted devices in the human body. Energy harvesting, which involves scavenging energy from natural sources like sunlight, thermal gradients, and vibrations, is an alternative to battery power. Thermoelectric devices, based on the Seebeck effect, can convert thermal gradients into electrical energy. Research on thermoelectric technologies is advancing, allowing for the generation of electrical energy using human body heat. Newer generations of smart biomedical devices require higher energy consumption, and secondary batteries are expected to be compact yet deliver high power density. Energy harvesting from the surrounding environment is the most viable method to supplement battery power for uninterrupted operation. Thermoelectric devices can enhance energy storage capacity in smart biomedical devices through heat harvesting across the human body and ambient environments. Recent advancements in room temperature biocompatible thermoelectric materials and wearable thermoelectric device fabrication technologies can meet the power and voltage requirements of biomedical sensors. This proposal proposes an approach to enhance the energy conversion efficiency of a wearable thermoelectric device using inorganic-organic-based composite thermoelectric materials. The wearable thermoelectric device can provide the continuous power requirement for advanced biomedical sensors due to its lower thermal conductivity and better electronic properties. The mechanical flexibility of organic polymers will be exploited, and the wearable thermoelectric device will be connected to the bioelectronics battery through a battery management system for demonstration. |