Powering Autonomous Sensors: An Integral Approach with Focus on Solar and RF Energy Harvesting by María Teresa Penella-López, Manuel Gasulla-Forner
English | PDF | 2011 | 155 Pages | ISBN : 9400715722 | 4.1 MB
Autonomous sensors transmit data and power their electronics without using cables. They can be found in e.g. wireless sensor networks (WSNs) or remote acquisition systems. Although primary batteries provide a simple design for powering autonomous sensors, they present several limitations such as limited capacity and power density, and difficulty in predicting their condition and state of charge. An alternative is to extract energy from the ambient (energy harvesting). However, the reduced dimensions of most autonomous sensors lead to a low level of available power from the energy transducer. Thus, efficient methods and circuits to manage and gather the energy are a must.