Multi-phase EAP system and method for controlling such a system

An energy harvesting system, comprising:

• a plurality of Electro Active Polymers (EAP)-based sections, each EAP-based section comprising:
• an electronic charge/discharge unit, and
• a variable capacitor comprising an elastically-deformable body with an arrangement of stretchable synthetic material and electrodes being configured as the variable capacitor with a capacitance that varies as the deformable body stretches and relaxes,
• a power source/sink unit;
• and
• a controller comprising
• a processing unit,
• sensing circuitry, and
• driving circuitry,
• the processing unit being coupled to the sensing circuitry and the driving circuitry,
• wherein each EAP-based section is connected to the power source/sink unit by the respective electronic charge/discharge unit under control of the controller,
• the sensing circuitry is coupled to the variable capacitor of each EAP-based section to receive at least one state parameter signal from the variable capacitor,
• the driving circuitry is coupled to the electronic charge/discharge unit to transmit a dedicated control signal to the electronic charge/discharge unit, and
• the processing unit is configured to establish, for each EAP-based section, a control value of the dedicated control signal based on the associated state parameter signal received from the variable capacitor,
• the plurality of EAP-based sections is in a series connection to the power source/sink unit,
• the electronic charge/discharge unit of the EAP-based section is provided with a tri-state switch that is controlled by the dedicated control signal and is configured in a first switching state to connect the variable capacitor to the power source/sink unit in a charging mode for a charging mode value of the dedicated control signal, in a second switching state to connect the variable capacitor to the power source/sink unit in a discharging mode for a discharging mode value of the dedicated control signal, and for a floating mode value of the dedicated control signal in a third switching state, to bypass the variable capacitor in a floating mode, leaving the variable capacitor isolated.