Infinite Power Solutions, Inc. (IPS), a provider of rechargeable, solid-state, thin-film battery solutions has introduced the IPS-EVAL-EH-02 wireless environmental sensor energy harvesting evaluation kit for smart home and building automation applications.
IPS-EVAL-EH-02: Wireless Environmental Sensor Energy Harvesting Evaluation Kit
The evaluation kit is a reference design for environmental sensing and control for indoor applications. It harvests energy and uses it for recharging a micro-energy cell (MEC) to enable autonomous operation.
The new kit consists of a complete wireless sensor along with multiple indoor environmental sensors, a radio module and a microcontroller. A THINERGY MEC supplies the required power. The MEC uses ambient energy harvesting to get recharged continuously. It is an all-solid-state, eco-friendly low-cost battery solution that does not require maintenance for a long period. These MECs are suitable for consumer and industrial wireless sensor applications that require a small form factor and low power.
The IPS-EVAL-EH-02 evaluation kit will allow designers to develop self-powered "green" wireless sensor solutions that can be used instead of supercapacitors and conventional batteries that need to be replaced due to the effect of high temperature conditions.
The kit consists of different types of sensors including a temperature sensor, an ambient light sensor, a humidity sensor and a passive infra-red occupancy sensor. A Microchip PIC24 microcontroller, a MiWi IEEE 802.15.4 compliant radio module and a Zena 2.4 GHz wireless adaptor are part of the kit. Micro-energy harvesting and battery protection is provided through the MAX17710 power-management integrated circuit solution.
The THINERGY MEC201-7S in the kit is an integrated, near loss-less energy storage cell. It has a low self-discharge that allows it to be used without recharging for a long period. A solar panel provides the recharge power. The cells can last for 100,000 recharge cycles, leading to a low total cost of ownership.
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