TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Component: The thermoelectric device is metallic wire thermocouples, discrete component semiconductors, and/or thin film semiconductors assembled in alternating p- and n-type arrays. The discrete component semiconductors assembled in alternating p- and n-type arrays are connected electrically in series and/or parallel.Preferred Material: The metallic wire thermocouples are iron-constantan, copper-constantan, chromel-alumel, chromel-constantan, platinum-rhodium alloys, and/or tungsten-rhenium alloys. The p-type arrays are bismuth telluride, lead telluride, tin telluride, zinc antimonide, cerium-iron antimonide, and/or silicon-germanium. The n-type arrays are bismuth telluride, lead telluride, cobalt antimonide, and/or silicon-germanium. The thin film semiconductors have p-type materials fabricated of bismuth telluride, lead telluride, tin telluride, zinc antimonide, cerium-iron antimonide, and/or silicon-germanium sputter deposited as thin films on a substrate; and n-type semiconductors fabricated of bismuth telluride, lead telluride, cobalt antimonide, and/or silicon-germanium sputter deposited as thin films on a substrate (preferably bismuth telluride).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Method: Providing ambient energy is performed by collecting ambient energy, focusing ambient energy, and/or transferring ambient energy. Transferring ambient energy is performed by convection, conduction, and/or radiation. The electrical energy generating apparatus comprises a storage mechanism (5) for alternately storing and discharging electrical energy produced, by the thermoelectric device; sensor(s) (4) powered by electrical energy discharged from the storage mechanism; transmitter(s) (6) powered by electrical energy discharged from the storage mechanism, and capable of transmitting data gathered by the sensor; voltage amplifier(s) (7) for amplifying the voltage of electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device; a microprocessor(s) (8) capable of processing the data gathered by the sensor(s); and data storage mechanism(s) (9) capable of storing the data gathered by the sensor(s). The storage mechanism is battery, capacitor, and/or supercapacitor.