During Phase III, the InDEEP finalists have been hard at work developing their DEEC-Tec concepts in advance of the final event in March. Today, we’re spotlighting the Piezogami Team.
Hailing from Blacksburg, Virginia, the Piezogami Team is developing a wave-powered electric barrier using inspiration from the ancient art of Kirigami paper cutting. This wave-powered, autonomous fence aims to deter invasive marine species, particularly the sea lamprey, to protect the country’s Great Lakes and oceans.
The members of the Piezogami Team combined their expertise in soft piezo-electric materials, kirigami structures, and marine energy harvesting to create a hierarchical meta-structure that maximizes wave energy harvesting at different levels. Not only does the integrated system harvest and store energy from waves, but the piezoelectric kirigami sheets can also act as a sensor to detect contact from invasive fish and release electricity to deter these harmful species.
The Piezogami Team will present on their technology at the InDEEP Final Forum in March in pursuit of being named a grand prize winner.
