Energy Harvesting and Wireless Power Transfer for Autonomous Sensors
Prof. Manel Gasulla
Universitat Politènica de Catalunya, BarcelonaTech, Spain
Abstract
Autonomous sensors are wireless measurement systems used in multiple applications from healthcare to environmental monitoring. A large number of autonomous sensors still rely on primary batteries for their power supply. However, primary batteries have to be replaced when depleted, which can be unpractical or even unfeasible. A proposed alternative, not exempt of challenges, is to harvest the energy from the surrounding environment or to transmit it wirelessly form a nearby point. Examples of ambient energy sources are light, thermal gradients, or vibrations, whereas energy can be transmitted via antennas and inductive links.
This tutorial first presents a general
overview of the basic building
blocks that compose an energy harvesting system and design rules
to take into
account. Then, different types of energy transducers,
conditioning circuits,
and storage devices are introduced. Finally, research carried
out at the ISI
(Instrumentation, Sensors and Interfaces) Group, UPC, is
presented. Research
topics include hybrid storage systems, maximum power point
trackers (MPPTs)
applied to low-power solar cells, inductive power transfer, and
radiofrequency
energy transmission.
Biographical Information