Eyeing up the opportunity to power the internet of things. Image: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision
The Tyndall National Institute is playing host to a three-day workshop on everything to do with energy harvesting, showcasing some of the latest smart technologies.
There is a wealth of renewable energy out there waiting to be tapped into. With this in mind, the Tyndall National Institute in Cork is showcasing some of the latest harvesting technology as part of a three-day workshop called EnerHarv starting from today (29 May).
Run by Tyndall and the multinational Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA), the event will feature demonstrations of new energy harvesting technology and show examples of successful energy harvesting products already created.
One of the biggest topics of the workshop is expected to be on the issue of powering the internet of things (IoT) as it is estimated that there will be 1trn sensors across the globe by 2025.
To efficiently monitor all these devices will be near impossible, which is why researchers and IoT companies are working to make sensors both extremely energy-efficient and self-reliant in many cases.
The organisers of the event said that the workshop presents a major opportunity for developers and users of energy harvesting micropower management technologies to collaboratively develop and introduce a new generation of devices.
Influence of LPWAN
“The workshop will bring together a community of experts to address the challenges and opportunities currently facing the sector, and will help the industry understand where technology is going,” said Mike Hayes, head of ‘ICT 4 Energy Efficiency’ at Tyndall and president of the PSMA.
“Participants will get to interact with demonstrations of current energy harvesting technologies in operation from many top-tier vendors, and can talk directly with the developers.”
The event will also see the Science Foundation Ireland-funded Connect Centre provide technical direction, contributions and industry alignment for low-power network solutions for IoT devices.
Low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs) have already become an increasingly valuable business, with multiple standards already developing to make the most of a more connected future.
“Through cooperation like this, and through developing collaborative partnerships between Irish and international companies and researchers, we can deliver an energy harvesting roadmap to guide and accelerate development globally,” Hayes added.
