Harvesting power with a piezoelectric vibration powered generator using a full-wave rectifier conditioning circuit is experimentally compared for varying sinusoidal, random, and sine on random (SOR) input vibration scenarios; the implications of source vibration characteristics on harvester design are discussed. The rise in popularity of harvesting energy from ambient vibrations has made compact, energy dense piezoelectric generators commercially available. Much of the available literature focuses on maximizing harvested power through nonlinear processing circuits that require accurate knowledge of generator internal mechanical and electrical characteristics and idealization of the input vibration source, which cannot be assumed in general application. Variations in source vibration and load resistance are explored for a commercially available piezoelectric generator. The results agree with numerical and theoretical predictions in the previous literature for optimal power harvesting in sinusoidal and flat broadband vibration scenarios. Going beyond idealized steady-state sinusoidal and flat random vibration input, experimental SOR testing allows for more accurate representation of real world ambient vibration. It is shown that characteristic interactions from more complex vibration sources significantly alter power generation and processing requirements by varying harvested power, shifting optimal conditioning impedance, inducing voltage fluctuations, and ultimately rendering idealized sinusoidal and random analyses incorrect. 1. Introduction Modular devices requiring no external power supply have become commonplace in many industries. Every day, wireless monitors gather information on hazardous processes and remote equipment, and consumer electronics take advantage of self-contained designs. These devices are often limited in their capabilities, size, and weight by the power supply, typically electrochemical batteries. Batteries are heavy, environmentally hazardous and require regular charging or replacement. To alleviate the constraints of batteries, the power demand of the device must be reduced or external energy sources need to be implemented. Modern radio frequency sensor nodes and wireless monitors only require milliwatts (mW) of power; many drop into microwatts (μW). A growing alternative to batteries is to harness energy from the surrounding environment, a concept known as energy harvesting. Ambient energy exists in many forms including thermal energy, kinetic energy, electromagnetic radiation, and vibration. Transducers convert this
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