{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,14]],"date-time":"2026-04-14T02:25:44Z","timestamp":1776133544011,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,9]],"date-time":"2021-03-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1615248000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In the present work, a spar-buoy scaled model was designed and built through a \u201cLab-on-Sea\u201d unit, equipped with an energy harvesting system. Such a system is based on deformable bands, which are loyal to the unit, to convert wave motion energy into electricity by means of piezo patch transducers. In a preliminary stage, the scaled model, suitable for tests in a controlled ripples-type wave motion channel, was tested in order to verify the \u201cfixed-point\u201d assumption in pitch and roll motions and, consequently, to optimize energy harvesting. A special type of structure was designed, numerically simulated, and experimentally verified. The proposed solution represents an advantageous compromise between the lightness of the used materials and the amount of recoverable energy. The energy, which was obtained from the piezo patch transducers during the simulations in the laboratory, was found to be enough to self-sustain the feasible on-board sensors and the remote data transmission system.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s21051912","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,9]],"date-time":"2021-03-09T12:08:01Z","timestamp":1615291681000},"page":"1912","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Design and Performance Evaluation of a \u201cFixed-Point\u201d Spar Buoy Equipped with a Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Unit for Floating Near-Shore Applications"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Damiano","family":"Alizzio","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering, University of Messina, C.da Di Dio, 98166 Messina, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1642-4989","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Bonfanti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 54, 95100 Catania, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1554-2182","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicola","family":"Donato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering, University of Messina, C.da Di Dio, 98166 Messina, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1532-4190","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Faraci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering, University of Messina, C.da Di Dio, 98166 Messina, Italy"}]},{"given":"Giovanni Maria","family":"Grasso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 54, 95100 Catania, Italy"}]},{"given":"Fabio","family":"Lo Savio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 54, 95100 Catania, Italy"}]},{"given":"Roberto","family":"Montanini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering, University of Messina, C.da Di Dio, 98166 Messina, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2567-9588","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonino","family":"Quattrocchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering, University of Messina, C.da Di Dio, 98166 Messina, Italy"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9613","DOI":"10.3390\/s120709613","article-title":"A Low-Cost Sensor Buoy System for Monitoring Shallow Marine Environments","volume":"12","author":"Albaladejo","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124321","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2019.07.052","article-title":"Trace analysis of polystyrene microplastics in natural water","volume":"236","author":"Schirinzi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"455","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2019.07.148","article-title":"Detection of artificial cellulose microfibers in Boops boops from the northern coasts of Sicily (Central Mediterranean)","volume":"691","author":"Savoca","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. 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