The PMG7 high-performance microgenerator is billed as “the world’s first truly effective vibration energy harvester to power wireless and battery-free devices capable of sending large amounts of data from many types of industrial equipment.” The PMG7 enables users to power sensors, microprocessors and transmitters for accurately monitoring the condition of plant equipment and machinery without the need for batteries, expensive cabling or maintenance, says the vendor.
The microgenerator converts kinetic energy from the vibration of the equipment running at mains frequency (50 or 60Hz) into electrical energy. It can generate up to 5mW, which is enough to power a wireless transmitter sending up to 6Kbyes of critical data every few minutes, or smaller amounts of data—such as a temperature reading—several times a second, the vendor says. The microgenerator is installed by screwing it into place, or it can be held in place by magnets.
