APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR SHARING POWER BETWEEN DEVICES VIA WEARERS' BODIES

1 . A head-mounted energy-harvesting device comprising:

an electronic component that is operable using a direct current;

a human-body coupler configured to conduct an artificial body-bound signal from a user's body, wherein:

the human-body coupler comprises a first electrode and a second electrode; and

the artificial body-bound signal is transmitted by an energy-supplying device through the user's body;

a receiving subsystem electrically connected to the human-body coupler and configured to receive the artificial body-bound signal; and

a rectifying subsystem coupled to the receiving subsystem and configured to convert the artificial body-bound signal into the direct current for use by the electronic component.

2 . The head-mounted energy-harvesting device of claim 1 , wherein:

the human-body coupler is capacitively coupled to the user's body;

the head-mounted energy-harvesting device further comprises:

a medial surface that faces the user's head when the head-mounted energy-harvesting device is worn by the user; and

a lateral surface that faces away from the user's head when the head-mounted energy-harvesting device is worn by the user;

the first electrode is coupled to the medial surface of the head-mounted energy-harvesting device such that the first electrode contacts the user's head; and

the second electrode is coupled to the lateral surface of the head-mounted energy-harvesting device such that the second electrode contacts air surrounding the user's body.

3 . The head-mounted energy-harvesting device of claim 1 , wherein:

the human-body coupler is galvanically coupled to the user's body;

the head-mounted energy-harvesting device further comprises a medial surface that faces the user's head when the head-mounted energy-harvesting device is worn by the user;

the first electrode is coupled to the medial surface of the head-mounted energy-harvesting device such that the first electrode contacts the user's head; and

the second electrode is coupled to the medial surface of the head-mounted energy-harvesting device such that the second electrode contacts the user's head.

4 . The head-mounted energy-harvesting device of claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted energy-harvesting device is a head-mounted display.

5 . The head-mounted energy-harvesting device of claim 4 , wherein:

the head-mounted display further comprises a facial-interface cushion dimensioned to abut a facial portion of the user; and

the first electrode forms an integral part of the facial-interface cushion.

6 . The head-mounted energy-harvesting device of claim 4 , wherein:

the head-mounted display further comprises:

a display;

a bridge coupled to the display and dimensioned to rest on the nose of the user; and

a temple coupled to the display and dimensioned to rest on an ear of the user; and

the first electrode forms an integral part of one of:

the bridge; or

the temple.

7 . The head-mounted energy-harvesting device of claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted energy-harvesting device is a smart contact lens configured to enhance the user's vision.

8 . An energy-exchanging system comprising:

an energy-supplying device comprising:

an energy supply;

a human-body coupler configured to apply an artificial body-bound signal to a user's body, the human-body coupler comprising a first electrode and a second electrode; and

a transmitting subsystem electrically connected to the energy supply and the human-body coupler and configured to transmit the artificial body-bound signal through the user's body; and

a head-mounted energy-harvesting device comprising:

an electronic component that is operable using a direct current;

an additional human-body coupler configured to conduct the artificial body-bound signal from the user's body, the human-body coupler comprising a third electrode and a fourth electrode;

a receiving subsystem electrically connected to the additional human-body coupler and configured to receive the artificial body-bound signal; and

a rectifying subsystem coupled to the receiving subsystem and configured to convert the artificial body-bound signal into the direct current for use by the electronic component.

9 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 8 , wherein:

the human-body coupler is capacitively coupled to the user's body;

the energy-supplying device further comprises:

a medial surface that faces the user's body when the energy-supplying device is worn by the user; and

a lateral surface that faces away from the user's body when the energy-supplying device is worn by the user;

the first electrode is coupled to the medial surface of the energy-supplying device such that the first electrode contacts the user's body; and

the second electrode is coupled to the lateral surface of the energy-supplying device such that the second electrode contacts air surrounding the user's body.

10 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 8 , wherein:

the human-body coupler is galvanically coupled to the user's body;

the energy-supplying device further comprises a medial surface that faces the user's body when the energy-supplying device is worn by the user;

the first electrode is coupled to the medial surface of the energy-supplying device such that the first electrode contacts the user's body; and

the second electrode is coupled to the medial surface of the energy-supplying device such that the first electrode contacts the user's body.

11 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 8 , wherein the head-mounted energy-harvesting device is a head-mounted display.

12 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 11 , wherein:

the head-mounted display further comprises a facial-interface cushion dimensioned to abut a facial portion of the user; and

the third electrode forms an integral part of the facial-interface cushion.

13 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 11 , wherein the energy-supplying device is a smart phone.

14 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 11 , wherein the energy-supplying device is a smart watch.

15 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 11 , wherein the energy-supplying device is an auxiliary battery pack.

16 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary battery pack is configured to be worn around at least one of the user's wrist or the user's neck.

17 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 11 , wherein the energy-supplying device is a laptop computing device.

18 . The energy-exchanging system of claim 11 , wherein the energy-supplying device is a hand-held controller used by a virtual-reality system or an augmented-reality system.

19 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, through a human-body coupler of a head-mounted energy-harvesting device, an artificial body-bound signal from a user's body, wherein:

the artificial body-bound signal is transmitted by an energy-supplying device through the user's body;

the head-mounted energy-harvesting device comprises an electronic component that is operable using a direct current; and

the human-body coupler is configured to conduct the artificial body-bound signal from the user's body and comprises a first electrode and a second electrode;

converting, at the head-mounted energy-harvesting device, the artificial body-bound signal into the direct current for use by the electronic component; and

applying, at the head-mounted energy-harvesting device, the direct current to the electronic component.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising transmitting, from the energy-supplying device to the head-mounted energy-harvesting device, the artificial body-bound signal through the user's body by applying the artificial body-bound signal to an additional human-body coupler of the energy-supplying device comprising a third electrode and a fourth electrode.