A Robust Self-Powered Triboelectric Sensor for Risk Mitigation in Seismic Scenarios: IoT Communication and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Geophysics
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Growing demand for sensitive, low-cost ground motion detectors.
• Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer self-powering sensing capabilities for vibration and motion detection.
• TENGs present a viable alternative for applications like earthquake monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a TENG-based seismic device (SEISTENG) for 2D and 3D vibration detection.
• To evaluate the performance of the SEISTENG in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and operational robustness.
• To validate the SEISTENG's capability in detecting seismic events.

Main Methods:

• A SEISTENG was constructed using low-cost TENGs integrated into a 3D-printed polylactic acid box with a sliding metal ball.
• The dynamical properties of the TENG transducer were measured across a frequency range of 0.5-50 Hz.
• The SEISTENG was tested using simulated earthquake data (Kobe and Lorca earthquakes) on biaxial and triaxial vibration systems.

Main Results:

• The SEISTENG demonstrated high accuracy in detecting both 2D and 3D seismic excitation signals.
• Performance was comparable to commercial piezoelectric sensors.
• Real-time remote monitoring was achieved using an FPGA-based STEMlab board, LabVIEW, and IoT platforms.

Conclusions:

• The developed SEISTENG is a promising low-cost, self-powering sensor for accurate seismic motion detection.
• The technology is suitable for various vibration monitoring applications, including earthquake early warning systems.
• Remote real-time monitoring capabilities enhance its practical utility.