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Mobile In-Ear Power Sensor for Jaw Joint Activity.

Jacob Bouchard-Roy1, Aidin Delnavaz1, Jérémie Voix1

  • 1Mechanical Engineering Departement at École de Technologie Supérieure, Montréal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada.

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Summary

Jaw movements within the earcanal can power in-ear devices, potentially replacing batteries. This research demonstrates a method to harvest this kinetic energy, offering a novel power source for wireless earbuds and digital earplugs.

Keywords:
earcanal dynamic movementenergy harvestingin-ear power sensorjaw joint activity

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Wearable Technology
  • Energy Harvesting

Background:

  • In-ear wearable devices, including wireless earbuds and digital earplugs, are increasingly prevalent.
  • Current devices rely on batteries, which present limitations such as bulkiness and frequent recharging.
  • There is a need for alternative, sustainable power sources for miniaturized in-ear electronics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of earcanal dynamic movements, generated by jaw activity, as a viable energy source for in-ear devices.
  • To prototype and test a mobile in-ear power sensor for measuring jaw activity.
  • To explore the feasibility of replacing conventional batteries in wearable in-ear electronics.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a mobile in-ear power sensor device to capture jaw activity metrics.
  • Testing the device on three human subjects to collect audio and pressure signals.
  • Utilizing a detection algorithm to identify and categorize jaw activities (chewing, swallowing, coughing, talking).
  • Calculating the mean power generated from earcanal dynamic movements using pressure signals.

Main Results:

  • Successfully prototyped and tested an in-ear power sensor device.
  • Developed an algorithm to detect and classify jaw activities from audio signals.
  • Quantified the average available power from earcanal movements to be 3.8 mW.
  • Identified chewing as the primary contributor to the harvested power.

Conclusions:

  • Earcanal dynamic movements driven by jaw activity represent a promising alternative energy source for in-ear wearables.
  • The developed sensor and detection algorithm demonstrate the feasibility of harvesting this kinetic energy.
  • An average power output of 3.8 mW, primarily from chewing, suggests potential for battery replacement in certain applications.
  • This research opens avenues for self-powered, long-lasting in-ear electronic devices.