Thermoelectric generator: Head serves as its own power source for EEG monitor

What better source of energy for medical sensors than the body’s own heat? IMEC, the nanoelectronics research center located in Belgium, has integrated a 2-channel EEG (brainwave monitor) system with a thermoelectric generator that powers the monitor from body heat. At room temperature, the internal thermopiles can generate about 2-2.5mW or 0.03mW/cm². This is enough power to extract, process, and encode the EEG signals and also send them to a PC via the included 2.4GHz wireless radio. The whole system consumes only 0.8mW.

IMEC calls these ultra-low-power sensor networks “body area networks” and has targeted them for further R&D under its Human++ program. Look for the thermogenerator to get smaller and cheaper as IMEC further integrates the thermopiles into its semiconductor process.