Random number generator with a chaotic wind-driven triboelectric energy harvester

Abstract Wind flow induces unpredictable chaotic motion for a thin flip-flop membrane intercalated in between two parallel electrodes. This structure is utilized as a random number generator (RNG) for cryptographic applications due to its inherent turbulent nature. Wind is a clean, ubiquitous and unexhausted energy source of semi-permanent energy. The RNG is also served as a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) due to energy harvesting by tribo-electrification. Thus, it harnesses structural duality to generate random numbers and electrical energy. In this study, a true random number generator with the aid of the wind-driven TENG is demonstrated. Without any post-processing algorithm, the electrical signals induced from the wind-based TENG, have randomness that is unpredictable, unreproducible and statistically unbiased. Here, we use the NIST SP 800-22 B statistical test to evaluate random properties. The generated random bits are applied to a cryptographic key and nonce, abbreviated from ‘number only used once’. The proposed device has a significant merit to generate both power and true random numbers in a single device. It thus helps construct a self-powered RNG and secure communication for the internet of things. It can also be used for a smart grid protocol in power management.