Studying the Feasibility of Energy Harvesting in a Mobile Sensor Network

We study the feasibility of extending the lifetime of a wireless sensor network by exploiting mobility. In our system, a small percentage of network nodes are autonomously mobile, allowing them to move in search of energy, recharge, and deliver energy to immobile, energy-depleted nodes. We term this approach energy harvesting. We characterize the problem of uneven energy consumption, suggest energy harvesting as a possible solution, and provide a simple analytical framework to evaluate energy consumption and our scheme. Data from initial feasibility experiments using energy harvesting show promising results.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: ICRA
• Authors: Mohammad H. Rahimi, Hardik Shah, Gaurav S. Sukhatme, John S. Heidemann, Deborah Estrin
• Keywords: Energy Consumption, Energy Harvesting, ICRA 2003, Robotics, Uneven Energy Consumption