A Portable and Low-Cost Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Wheelchair Table Tennis Monitoring

With progress in fifth-generation techniques, more advanced techniques are available for disabled people. Disability table tennis has also benefited from the new technology. In this paper, a portable and low-cost triboelectric nanogenerator for wheelchair table tennis monitoring systems is proposed. It was applied for wheelchair table tennis athletes’ monitoring. The portable and low-cost triboelectric nanogenerator consists of Kapton, polyurethane triboelectric films, and a foam supporting layer. The materials have flexible and low-cost characteristics. Therefore, the device has no influence on exercise performance. Due to triboelectric and electrostatic induction, the portable and low-cost triboelectric nanogenerator can convert biomechanical signals into electric signals. The electric signal is used as a sensing signal and is transformed in a computer by an Analog-to-Digital acquisition module. The coach acquires motion information in real time from a terminal device regarding force, exercise amplitude, and stability of the athlete. Meanwhile, the electric signal provides also sustainable energy for the microelectronic device. It can light 20 LEDs easily and power a calculator and a watch. This portable and low-cost self-powered triboelectric nanogenerator offers a new approach to the field of motion monitoring for disabled people.