Heliomote Overview
Heliomote 2.1 is a solar-powered power
supply with connectors supporting the Crossbow® MICA series
(MPRx40 and MPR2400) and the MoteIV™ Tmote Sky. The Heliomote has the
ability to
monitor the amount of energy available (voltage and
current over time), allowing for intelligent energy based
routing algorithms. Each Heliomote has a
globally unique 64-bit hardware ID which is useful
for tracking nodes in very large deployments
What is energy harvesting?
Imagine deploying your wireless network of sensors over a multi-year
timeframe. This longevity requirement implies a battery of enormous
physical size, weight, and cost – if such a battery is even available.
Batteries suffer from self-discharge, temperature, and other
environmental effects that work to bound their usable lifetime, even in
the case of zero use. Consequently for long-term, economical
deployment, your sensor network hardware must gather energy from the
environment around it – a process known as “energy harvesting”. Many
different methods have been developed, including solar, piezoelectric,
and thermoelectric. However, of these, solar offers the highest energy
density, lowest production cost, and highest availability.
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