I-Corps: Energy harvesting platform for tire monitoring and communication

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to improve prediction of vehicle tire failure and enable systems for vehicle preventative maintenance. The proposed technology may be used to power smart vehicle tire sensors that will give alerts for tire maintenance and replacement. This technology will improve the functionality of the current tire pressure monitoring systems and improve the safety of automobile travel.

Each year in the U.S. there are tens of thousands of motor vehicle crashes due to tire failures. Tire failure is also responsible for a significant portion of roadside emergencies which also cause financial loss, time delay, and safety concerns. The proposed technology may help address these problems and enable improved tire failure prediction which is not possible in conventional tire pressure monitoring systems.

This I-Corps project develops a flexible nanowire-based piezoelectric energy harvester that can effectively convert the mechanical vibration or strain of a vehicle tire into electric power. The system can retain the piezo-electric properties even at the high operating temperatures experienced by the tire. As a result, the batteryless energizer can be used to power evolving families of smart tire sensors that can monitor various vehicle and road conditions.

By functioning as a stable energy source with improved power budget compared to many battery-based solutions, the proposed energy harvesting platform may provide more flexibility and support advanced tire sensing features.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.