Magnetic-assisted self-powered acceleration sensor for real-time monitoring vehicle operation and collision based on triboelectric nanogenerator

In vehicle electronic systems, acceleration sensors play an irreplaceable role in improving vehicle performances. The on-board acceleration sensor is suitable for common operating conditions, not only requires an external power supply and charge amplifier, but also has the defect of high noise. In this work, a magnetic-assisted self-powered acceleration sensor (MSAS) based on the triboelectric nanogenerator is proposed to monitor the low acceleration under common operations and the high acceleration under the collision conditions of vehicles. MSAS adopts magnetic repulsion adjustment system, which has good stability and high signal-to-noise ratio of output signal within its detection range. Simultaneous monitoring of the value and direction of the acceleration can be achieved by analyzing the frequency and trend of the electrical signals. The linear motor and pendulum impact experiment bench were established, and the results depicted that the fitting linear coefficients of the MSAS under low and high acceleration reached 0.993 and 0.991, respectively. In the durability experiment of continuous operation for 6 h, even if the amplitude of the MSAS electrical signal changes slightly, the frequency remains unchanged. Finally, the application of MSAS in real-time monitoring of remote-control car operation and collision acceleration is verified, as well as the comparison with a commercial acceleration sensor. It further illustrates the potential utility of MSAS in vehicle electronic systems.