Page 39 - EE Times Europe Magazine – November 2023

EE|Times EUROPE 39

Ambient Light Harvesting Heads Indoors
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SIZE MATTERS
Lightricity’s Kauer told EE Times
Europe, “We think a good size for a PV
cell is about 1 cm or a couple of square
2
centimeters at most. Most IoT products
we want to power are about that size.
For design reasons, it’s desirable to
minimize the PV area because it needs
to be on the surface of the device, so it
impacts the real estate that’s avail-
able for displays, buttons or design Certified to
AS9100D
elements. ISO 9001:2015
“That’s where having a higher power
capability per area is important,” he DC-DC Converters
added. “In fact, we have a battery-free
asset-tracking sensor that is smaller Figure 2: Indoor-light simulator developed by Transformers &
than a cell battery. So you can shrink a Lightricity for use with the IEC 62607 standard
system size below what’s possible with (Source: Lightricity) Inductors
battery-powered devices.”
Dracula touts the freedom of shape
that its flexible technology affords. “Our tion,” Cruchon said. “Today, with our partners,
clients typically tell us the dimensions of the we try to develop electronic subsystems that DC-DC Converters
available space and how much energy they use our technology and a storage element, 2V to 10,000 VDC Outputs
require,” Cruchon said. “If they need 1 V, such as a supercapacitor. Customers often ask 1-300 Watt Modules
we connect just two cells together since our about the lifetime and lifespan of our tech- • MIL/COTS/Industrial Models
technology delivers 500 mV per cell. We can nology. In general, with a battery, you have • Regulated/Isolated/Adjustable
customize and optimize the surface to give two to three years. You might achieve five Programmable Standard Models
the client the needed power. years, but the cost of such a battery is very • New High Input Voltages to 900VDC
“If you require a particular voltage, we just high. With our technology, we can guarantee • AS9100D Facility/US Manufactured
• Military Upgrades and
have to make serial connections of the cells,” at least 10 years, which is already long enough Custom Modules
he added. “We can connect the cells in par- to make the device completely autonomous
allel to meet the requirement of more power. over that period.” Transformers & Inductors
Another approach is to create a larger mono Kauer noted another benefit of removing Surface Mount & Thru Hole
cell, meaning the current will depend on the the battery: “If you don’t have to plan to • Ultra Miniature Designs
surface area, but the output voltage remains change the battery, it means you can seal the • MIL-PRF 27/MIL-PRF 21308
the same.” device and obtain a higher IP [ingress protec- • DSCC Approved Manufacturing
tion] rating. Also, for markets like tracking • Audio/Pulse/Power/EMI
CHANGING MINDSETS ON CHANGING medical equipment, it means [the device] Multiplex Models Available
BATTERIES can be sterilized. Having an enclosure that • For Critical Applications/Pico
Modules, Over 45 Years’
Both companies view their technologies as needs to be opened to change a battery makes Experience
vital in reducing battery waste and helping it more difficult. So there are some specific
IoT device manufacturers meet corporate sus- use cases where not having a battery is a real VISIT OUR EXCITING NEW
tainability goals and comply with forthcoming advantage.” WEBSITE with SEARCH WIZARD
battery legislation. For full characteristics of these and the
“Our view is that the battery-change chal- CHARACTERIZING INDOOR PV entire PICO product line, see PICO’s
lenge has yet to manifest itself fully,” Kauer TECHNOLOGIES Full line catalog at
said. “If you’re conducting an IoT trial with An interesting aspect of the work around www.picoelectronics.com
tens of sensors, changing the battery, with a developing PV cells for indoor applications is Pico Representatives
typical lifetime of 18 months to five years, you the need for a standard defining the light- England
don’t see the changing challenge. However, source reference spectrum. The IEC 60904 Solid State Supplies/Ginsbury
scaling it up to thousands of sensors becomes series of standards defines the evaluation E-mail: Russell.bennett@sssltd.com
a major operational challenge. It’s not the methods for sunlight but does not stipulate Phone: 44 1634 298900
Fax: 44 1634 290904
cost of the battery but the labor cost and the the reference spectrum for indoor sources. Belgium/Luxemburg/France
management of the task. Lightricity has been “working closely with Netherlands/Scandinavia
“One of our tasks as a business is raising the U.K. National Physical Laboratory on ELCOS/BVBA
E-mail: info@elcos.be
awareness of the challenge and showing building an indoor-light simulator [Figure 2] Phone: 32 3 218 20 73
customers other reliable and robust energy aligned with the new IEC 62607 standard for www.elcos.be
possibilities,” he added. indoor PV measurements,” Kauer said. “We Germany
Cruchon likewise underscored the need for think this standard will help manufacturers ELBV/Electra Bauemente Vertrieb
E mail: info@elbv.de
Dracula and its partners to demonstrate “that have confidence that indoor devices are com- Phone: 49 089 460205442
we can replace the battery with an pared like for like.” ■ Fax: 49 089 460205442
energy-harvesting technology.” 143 Sparks Ave., Pelham, New York 10803
“We have several issues and limitations Robert Huntley is a contributing writer for E Mail: info@picoelectronics.com
with a battery, such as environmental legisla- EE Times Europe.

www.eetimes.eu | NOVEMBER 2023