Methods and apparatus for harvesting biomechanical energy

A method for harvesting energy from motion of one or more human or other animal joints, the method comprising:

• coupling a generator to one or more human or other animal joints for converting mechanical energy associated with the motion of the one or more joints into corresponding electrical energy;
• sensing one or more characteristics associated with motion of a body of the human or animal;
• based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics, modifying at least one of:
• a first coupling of mechanical energy associated with the motion of the one or more joints to the generator;
• a second coupling of electrical energy from the generator to a load;
• wherein modifying at least one of the first and second couplings comprises selectively:
• engaging energy harvesting by completing at least one of the first and second couplings;
• and
• disengaging energy harvesting by decoupling at least one of the first and second couplings.

A method for harvesting energy from motion of one or more human or other animal joints, the method comprising:

• coupling a generator to one or more human or other animal joints for converting mechanical energy associated with the motion of the one or more joints into corresponding electrical energy;
• sensing one or more characteristics associated with motion of a body of the human or animal;
• based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics, modifying at least one of:
• a first coupling of mechanical energy associated with the motion of the one or more joints to the generator;
• a second coupling of electrical energy from the generator to a load;
• wherein assessing whether motion of the one or more joints is associated with mutualistic conditions or non-mutualistic conditions is based at least in part on a model of repetitive motion of the human or animal body.

A method for harvesting energy from motion of one or more human or other animal joints, the method comprising:

• providing a generator coupled to one or more human or other animal joints and to a load for converting mechanical energy associated with motion of the one or more joints into corresponding electrical energy delivered to the load;
• sensing one or more characteristics associated with motion of the one or more joints;
• assessing, based at least in part of the one or more sensed characteristics, whether motion of the one or more joints is associated with mutualistic conditions or non-mutualistic conditions;
• if the motion of the one or more joints is determined to be associated with non-mutualistic conditions, then decoupling at least one of:
• the generator from the one or more joints;
• and the generator from the load.