Piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting to power a wearable nerve stimulator for tremor suppression

Abstract

A self-powered wearable nerve stimulator for tremor suppression is proposed using piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting. A cantilever harvester with tip mass was mechanically tuned to match the physiological tremor band (6-12 Hz). The electrical architecture integrates a rectifier, boost converter, and dual supercapacitors for stable power delivery. Finite-element modeling showed strong agreement with experimental measurements, validating the design approach. The optimized configuration demonstrated viable energy capture at clinically relevant frequencies, confirming the feasibility of a fully autonomous anti-tremor wristband. Further improvements through piezoelectric arrays and refined power-management stages are identified as clear paths toward enhanced energy autonomy.