By 2050, countries around the world are expected to be gradually phasing out fossil fuels and implementing greener energy technologies. In this work, we present a system employing Energy harvesting, a self-powered technology that can recycle energy from the surrounding environment. A high-efficiency radio frequency (RF) energy–harvesting chip was designed and fabricated. With an off-chip antenna and rectifier, the system scavenges ambient RF energy and converts it into usable energy, which is then stored in energy storage elements (such as a supercapacitor or a rechargeable battery). The system can further be implemented as an energy source for charging smart devices. The system-on-chip design consists of a cold start block, a boost converter with maximum power point tracking functionalities, and a charging block. The chip was fabricated using AMS 350 nm technology. Although the system was optimized for harvesting RF energy, it can be easily adapted to harvest other energy sources (i.e., mechanical and thermal energy sources). Using an optimized cold start architecture, the circuit has a cold start voltage of 380 mV. With an improved control strategy of power conversion, the system is capable of continuously charging up to 4.5 V with a broad input voltage range of 100 mV to 10 V and has a peak charging efficiency of 82%.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is a non-invasive medical therapy that has attracted recent research interest due to its therapeutic effects. However, most LIPUS driver systems currently available are large and expensive. We have proposed a LIPUS interface application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for use in wearable medical devices to address some of the challenges related to the size and cost of the current technologies. The proposed ASIC is a highly integrated system, incorporating a DCDC module based on a charge pump architecture, a high voltage level shifter, a half-bridge driver, a voltage-controlled oscillator, and a corresponding digital circuit module. Consequently, the functional realization of this ASIC as a LIPUS driver system requires only a few passive components. Experimental tests indicated that the chip is capable of an output of 184.2 mW or 107.2 mW with a power supply of 5 V or 3.7 V, respectively, and its power conversion efficiency is approximately 30%. This power output capacity allows the LIPUS driver system to deliver a spatial average temporal average (SATA) of 29.5 mW/cm² or 51.6 mW/cm² with a power supply of 3.7 V or 5 V, respectively. The total die area, including pads, is 4 mm². The ASIC does not require inductors, improving its magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatibility. In summary, the proposed LIPUS interface chip presents a promising solution for the development of MRI-compatible and cost-effective wearable medical therapy devices.

Global population aging has become an issue nowadays, which will eventually lead to a huge senior care market in the future. Currently, with the current senior care services and product, several critical issues exist which prevents seniors from getting care. The top reported problem includes the lack of professionals, overpriced services or products, insufficient attention to seniors’ mental needs, and insufficient government regulations. In this paper, a senior care ecosystem, named AīCare, was proposed to revolutionize the future senior care industry. The AīCare senior care ecosystem combined exponential technologies, such as IoT, robotics, and AI, to deliver affordable, reliable, and intelligent senior care services and products. The project was systematically planned and designed utilizing the Purpose Launchpad, coupled with business development tools provided by the Purpose Alliance. A low-fidelity prototype of this ecosystem was conceptualized as part of the innovation process. To substantiate the proposed hypotheses, two experimental cycles were implemented across China and Canada. The feedback acquired from these experiments continuously refines our ideas and directs the way for future development in this crucial sector. Our senior care ecosystem is not designed to entirely supplant the existing workforce of senior care professionals. Rather, our objective is to provide dependable and effective aids to complement their efforts, thereby enhancing their capability to cater to individuals requiring additional attention. This innovative approach intends to amplify the efficacy of current systems and contributes significantly towards the evolution of senior care, ultimately augmenting the quality-of-care provision.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is gaining popularity in various medical therapeutic applications thanks to its non-invasiveness and versatility. However, commercial LIPUS devices are still cumbersome and expensive. In this paper, a highly integrated LIPUS generation system based on a buck-boost converter is proposed. The integrated system is designed with AMS 350nm technology, consists a current-starving clock generator, a buck-boost converter, a converter driver, and a half-bridge transducer driver. The die area of the chip is 3.06 mm ² . It anticipates a compact, lightweight device, which is highly desirable in biomedical applications for patient comfort and convenience. Post-layout simulations illustrate that the system is effectively configured to drive an ultrasound transducer, producing frequencies within a range of 266.7kHz to 2.78MHz. It also achieves a broad output voltage range from 1V up to 42V, while the input range is from 1.8V to 5V. An optimized Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) control system is proposed for the buck-boost converter to augment the stability of the system and facilitate a peak conversion efficiency of 73.3%.