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Energy Harvesting Sensors: Manufacturers and Advantages

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This article explores energy harvesting sensors, including their advantages and a list of manufacturers.

Introduction to Energy Harvesting Sensors

An energy harvesting sensor generates electrical energy from its surrounding environment using parameters like EM waves, heat, light, or vibration. These sensors consist of an energy source, power storage components, and a harvesting sensing circuit. They’re finding use in applications like smart buildings, environmental monitoring, industrial automation, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Several factors are important when selecting an energy harvesting sensor:

  • Energy Source: Consider the type of energy the sensor needs to generate power, such as solar, kinetic, thermal, or EM energy.
  • Power Management: Think about the components needed to store and manage the generated electrical power.
  • Sensing Component: The sensor must be able to accurately detect environmental parameters like light, temperature, humidity, pressure, and vibration.
  • Wireless Communication: The sensor should be able to relay data to a central location for monitoring and analysis.
  • Power Efficiency: The sensor must be extremely power-efficient during both idle and sensing modes.
  • Size and Weight: Ideally, the sensor should be lightweight and compact.
  • Durability: The sensor needs to be durable and resilient to operate in harsh environments.

Advantages of Energy Harvesting Sensors

Energy harvesting sensors offer several key benefits:

  • Self-Sufficient: They don’t require an external power source, enabling battery-free operation for low-power electronic devices.
  • Compact and Lightweight: They facilitate the development of lightweight, compact, and maintenance-free IoT devices or nodes.
  • Cost Savings: Maintenance-free operation reduces overall costs.
  • Increased Reliability: They improve the reliability of the systems in which they’re used.
  • Extended Lifespan: The sensor’s lifespan is increased.
  • Remote Operation: They can be deployed in remote, inaccessible locations where power sources are unavailable.

Energy Harvesting Sensor Manufacturers

The following table lists some of the leading manufacturers of energy harvesting sensors:

ManufacturersDescription
Texas Instruments (TI)Designs and develops energy harvesting sensor nodes for sub-1GHz networks. Their sensors monitor ambient light, temperature, and relative humidity.
Analog DevicesDevelops power management ICs for various energy harvesting sources such as solar (photovoltaic), vibration (piezoelectric), and thermal. Provides regulated voltages for charging batteries and supercapacitors.
ST MicroelectronicsDevelops ICs that harvest energy from photovoltaic cells and thermoelectric generators to charge batteries and ensure long lifetimes. Example: SPV1050, which houses embedded MPPT and LDOs.
Maxim IntegratedThe MAX17710 is an energy harvesting Charger and Protector IC that supports RF, solar, or other high-voltage sources.
Silicon LabsThe Si1145/46/47 functions as a proximity/UV/Ambient light sensor that can be interfaced using I2C.
EnOceanThe ECO 200 can be used for motion energy harvesting applications to power radio modules (BLE/Zigbee). Visit https://www.enocean.com/ for other sensors.
Cymbet CorporationManufactures energy harvesting evaluation kits for solar and RF sources. Refer to https://www.cymbet.com/ for more products.
TDK CorporationHas developed a power-generating wheel sensor that can be interfaced with a wheel to generate electricity from tire movement.
Fujitsu LimitedHas developed a hybrid energy harvesting device to generate electricity from heat and light.
Cypress Semiconductor (Infineon)Manufactures power management ICs for energy harvesting applications.