I-Corps: Fluidic Energy Harvesters for Green Building Applications

Cuny City College, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

An increase in the usage of small electronic devices like cell-phones, sensors, actuators and other consumer products drives the development of new technologies to power them. There is an increasing demand for a non-depleting electrical energy source that can be used to power such electronic devices in Green Building application. Providing a non-depleting energy source enables the usage of modern electronic devices that increase the energy efficiency of the building. This will also eliminate the need for disposal of toxic batteries and their hazardous waste. Other indoor harvesting technologies are available and are widely used to enable low power systems. Technology discussed herein provides the power density ten times that of the nearest competing indoor harvesting technology. The knowledge for the potential commercial application for the technology, its potential market size and the competitive landscape is necessary to establish a feasible path to commercialization. In this project the team will focus on developing a product and a commercialization plan that will enable the usage of energy efficient Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) devices in modern buildings, increasing the global energy efficiency of the buildings. This technology can also be used to harvest small amounts of energy that can be implemented in automotive, defense, biomedical and other fields that require non-depleting energy source for small electronic devices. The objectives of the proposed work are first to carry out market research, identify the competitive landscape and consider the formation of strategic partnerships and second to develop a pilot-program ready prototype. The first part will be achieved by conducting a large number of comprehensive interviews with industry specialists. The feedback from the interviews will be evaluated to estimate the market size and identify the key partners and competitors. Also, based on the feedback from the industry professionals a power requirement for the energy harvester will be established. The knowledge of the power requirement will allow for the completion of a second objective by constructing and testing a prototype ready for a pilot program.