Sensors are among the mostly frequently cited additions to connectivity in the Internet of Things (IoT) and certainly are one of the key enablers for wearable products of all sorts. However, wirelessly connected sensors pose a major problem when considering batteries as the sole source of power - battery life. Converting the available energy from a variety of sources to electricity, or energy harvesting, provides an alternative to frequently changing batteries in wireless sensing applications. Popular techniques to harvest energy for sensing applications include photovoltaic, thermoelectric, piezoelectric, electrodynamic and even wind. While energy harvesting is not a solution for every wireless sensing node, it is being successfully applied in industrial, consumer and other applications. In some instances, it is being used in conjunction with advanced battery technologies including thin-film batteries. In all cases, efficient power management is essential. As in most system problems, there are technical and cost constraints.
Presenters in this session will provide an in-depth analysis of the challenges and solutions of using energy harvesting techniques of varying types for powering sensors in wireless and other ultralow power applications. In addition to exploring the energy harvesting technologies as well as other power sources, other system aspects will be addressed including high efficiency, low-power microcontrollers, wireless connectivity, and direct current (DC) power management. By explaining the design-in requirements for existing energy harvesting products in real-world applications, attendees will have new tools to consider in the design of their next-generation sensor systems for the IoT, wearables or any application that requires low power.
Session attendees will leave with an improved understanding of:
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