Self-Rebound Cambered Triboelectric Nanogenerator Array for Self-Powered Sensing in Kinematic Analytics

In challenging and dangerous equestrian sports, kinematic analysis and injury prevention based on distributed, portable, and real-time sensing technology is particularly important. Here, we report a flexible self-rebound cambered triboelectric nanogenerator that addresses the concerns and shows its applications for self-powered sensing in kinematic analysis. Benefiting from simple and effective design, ordinary materials by means of self-rebound cambered structure evolved into a micro-biomechanical energy harvester with mechanical properties including over 3000 cycles durability and superior resiliency and stability. At a size of 4.52 cm2, it could deliver a power density of 1.25 mW/m2 under an external load resistance of 60 MΩ. A self-powered riding characteristic sensing system has been developed with fast response time of 16 ms, to provide real-time statistics data and fall prediction for both horsemen and coaches, to take traditional equestrian sports to a advanced state. This work not only can promote the development of triboelectric nanogenerators in micro-biomechanical energy harvesting, but also could expand the application range of the self-powered system to intelligent sport monitoring and assisting.