ABSTRACT
The self-powered system works without any external power source. In the past years, the focus had been on the use of nanogenerators for self-powered wearable and implantable sensors. Nanogenerators can convert mechanical energy into electricity. The human body is an excellent source of mechanical motions and thus can be used as a source for the nanogenerators. The nanogenerators thus eliminate the requirement of battery for various applications, including sensors. This chapter discusses the working mechanism of piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) and triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG. A summary of nanogenerator based healthcare sensors is made, including the implantable heartbeat and breath sensor. Nonetheless, many challenges need to be addressed before the commercialization of nanogenerator based sensors, including the life-time, output performance, stable encapsulation, etc. In the future, overcoming the issue will make nanogenerators a promising candidate for healthcare applications.
