Portable energy harvester

The present invention provides, inter alia, a portable energy harvesting system with an output to charge or provide direct operating power to an external portable appliance such as, for example, a mobile phone or an MP3 player. This system may comprise one or more micro-generators, a power processing means and an electrical energy storage means. A voltage regulator may be connected to the energy harvesting system to provide a stable 5 Volts direct current (DC) output and the output port may thus comprise a USB type A port connected to the output of the voltage regulator. The energy harvesting system itself has a number of unique features and is highly sensitive and efficient. It may in some applications be incorporated inside the housing of portable electrical devices such as mobile phones and MP3 players or even housed inside a pair of headphones or in or on an armband or other item adapted to be worn by a user and may be used to directly power or charge the batteries within the MP3 player or mobile phone or other USB powered portable device.