New vibration powered generator for wireless systems
Date: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 @ 19:41:22 GMT Topic: Science
A generator that is 10 times more powerful than any other similar
devices has been developed by engineers at the University of
Southampton.
Dr Steve Beeby and his team at the University's
School of Electronics & Computer Science (ECS) have developed a
kinetic energy generator which generates electrical energy from the
vibrations and movements present within its environment.
'This is the most successful generator of its
kind and generates energy much more efficiently than any similar device
of its size,' said Dr Beeby.
The generator, which is less than 1 cubic cm in size, was developed
as part of the EU-funded EUR4.13 million VIBES (Vibration Energy
Scavenging) project. It has been designed to power wireless sensors
that monitor the condition of industrial plant and is intended to be
installed within an air compressor unit supplying several laboratories
within a building.
It could also be used in wireless, self-powered tyre sensors and if
developed further, could even form the basis of technology for
self-powered pace makers. The technology offers the potential to
replace or augment batteries. The periodic replacement of batteries is
not feasible for embedded applications and is highly unattractive in
wireless sensor networks containing hundreds of sensor nodes.
'Vibration energy harvesting is receiving a considerable amount of
interest as a means for powering wireless sensor nodes,' said Dr Beeby.
'The big advantage of wireless sensor systems is that by removing wires
and batteries, there is the potential for embedding sensors in
previously inaccessible locations.'
According to Dr Beeby, over the years, there has been a growing
interest in the field of low power miniature sensors and wireless
sensor networks, but an area that has received comparatively little
attention is how to supply the required electrical power to such
sensors, particularly if the sensor is completely embedded in the
structure with no physical connection to the outside world. He believes
that the VIBES generator could hold the solution.
A paper entitled A micro electromagnetic generator for vibration energy harvesting about this research has just been published on the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering website.
Dr Beeby and his team plan to exploit this application further
through Perpetuum, the world-leading vibration energy-harvesting
company which was formed in 2004 as a spin out from the University of
Southampton.
Source: University of Southampton Via: http://www.physorg.com/news102764662.html
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