Design of a Low-Frequency Linear Motion Testbed for Electromagnetic Kinetic Energy Harvesters in JumboNet

Abstract

Kinetic energy harvesting on animals is an emerging technology that could facilitate real-time monitoring of wild elephants. Real-time monitoring is a proven solution to the Human-Elephant Conflict, a problem that has spread across Asia and Africa. However, when designing electromagnetic harvesters, it is essential to accurately model the voltage produced due to electromagnetic effects. In this paper, we present the design, development and the complete simulation of a simple and low-cost linear motion testbed that estimates the generation of an electromagnetic harvester. We integrated the dynamic non-linear flux linkage across the coil with an analytical model that accurately estimated the motion of the moving magnet. The experimental measurements from the testbed were better than 80% in agreement with the simulation results within the frequency range of 1Hz to 2Hz.