A self-powered counter/timer based on a clock pointer-like frequency-tunable triboelectric nanogenerator for wind speed detecting

A self-powered technology is a promising approach to achieving sustainable power supply in large-scale wireless sensor networks. Here we report a clock pointer-like triboelectric nanogenerator (CP-TENG) with two non-contact tribo layers which can deliver an abrasion-free operation. The output voltage pulse frequency is tunable by subtly changing the number of electrodes that can improve output power density to some extent. Due to the one-to-one correspondence between voltage pulses and counting points, a self-powered counting and timing systems have been demonstrated via a programmable software platform. Furthermore, by integrating with a wind cup, a self-powered wind speed detector based on the CP-TENG indicates a superior real-time monitoring for wind speed attributed to accurately determining of algorithm parameter. This work not only pushes the development of self-powered systems, but also expands potential applications based on the TENG in intelligent interaction, environmental monitoring, industrial production and meteorological detecting. u