Everlast: long-life, supercapacitor-operated wireless sensor node

This paper describes a supercapacitor-operated, solar-powered wireless sensor node called Everlast. Unlike traditional wireless sensors that store energy in batteries, Everlast’s use of supercapacitors enables the system to operate for an estimated lifetime of 20 years without any maintenance. The novelty of this system lies in the feedforward, PFM (pulse frequency modulated) converter and open-circuit solar voltage method for maximum power point tracking, enabling the solar cell to efficiently charge the supercapacitor and power the node. Experimental results show that Everlast can achieve low power consumption, long operational lifetime, and high transmission rates, something that traditional sensor nodes cannot achieve simultaneously and must trade-off. Categories and Subject Descriptors C.3 [Special-Purpose and Application-Based Systems]: Realtime and embedded systems General Terms Management, Measurement, Performance, Design Keywords Maximum power point tracking, MPPT, superca...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: SENSYS
• Authors: Farhan Simjee, Devyani Sharma, Pai H. Chou
• Keywords: Maximum Power Point, Sensor Networks, Sensor Nodes, SENSYS 2005, Wireless Sensors