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Sensors 2012, 12(9), 12110-12125; doi:10.3390/s120912110
Article
Development and Successful Application of a Tree Movement Energy Harvesting Device, to Power a Wireless Sensor Node
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), P.O. Box 330, Newcastle, NSW 2300, Australia
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 5 July 2012; in revised form: 17 August 2012 / Accepted: 24 August 2012 / Published: 4 September 2012
(This article belongs to the Section Sensor Networks)
Download PDF Full-Text [496 KB, uploaded 4 September 2012 15:11 CEST]
Abstract: Wireless sensor networks are becoming increasingly more common as a means to sense, measure, record and transmit data for scientific and engineering evaluation, remotely and autonomously. Usually, remotely located sensor nodes are powered by batteries which are recharged by solar or wind energy harvesters. Sometimes nodes are located in areas where these forms of energy harvesting are not possible due to local conditions, such as under the canopy of a forest. This article outlines the design and testing of a device capable of harvesting energy from tree movement, and shows the device powering a wireless sensor node continuously. The device uses the force and displacement of the movement of a tree trunk (of a 6 m tall tree) to drive an electromagnetic generator that recharges a nickel metal hydride battery. The battery stores the energy from which a ~0.5 mW wireless sensor node is powered continuously. This demonstrated method of energy harvesting may allow the placement and powering of nodes in locations previously not possible.
Keywords: energy harvesting; energy scavenging; tree movement; tree sway; tree energy; sensor network; sensor node; wind energy
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MDPI and ACS Style
McGarry, S.; Knight, C. Development and Successful Application of a Tree Movement Energy Harvesting Device, to Power a Wireless Sensor Node. Sensors 2012, 12, 12110-12125.
AMA StyleMcGarry S, Knight C. Development and Successful Application of a Tree Movement Energy Harvesting Device, to Power a Wireless Sensor Node. Sensors. 2012; 12(9):12110-12125.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMcGarry, Scott; Knight, Chris. 2012. "Development and Successful Application of a Tree Movement Energy Harvesting Device, to Power a Wireless Sensor Node." Sensors 12, no. 9: 12110-12125.