Rowing Machine Integrated Multifunctional Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Exercise Motion Energy Harvesting

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been studied in various fields because of their ease of fabrication, simple structures, and diverse material choices. Therefore, integrating TENGs into various systems has become a key research focus. However, simply integrating TENGs into systems limits their practical use because of their high design complexity and low output. To overcome this, a design strategy supporting the primary system functions is required. In this study, we focused on a rowing-machine-integrated triboelectric nanogenerator (RM-TENG) with controllable mechanical resistance. To minimize wear during high-speed rotation, the dielectric and nickel electrode films were designed to brush lightly against the aluminum electrode. This contact enabled electrostatic discharge during sliding and enhanced the voltage and current outputs to 440 V and 1.16 A, respectively. The mechanical resistance and electrical signal could be adjusted by the magnetic field between the neodymium magnet and the ferromagnetic core, which could be controlled by the plate gap distance. Therefore, the RM-TENG could independently power a commercial thermohygrometer sensor and 500 LEDs by its own operation.