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MIT and Ericsson Set Goals for Zero-power Devices and a New Field—“Lithionics”

MIT and Ericsson are doubling down on two projects: 1) Explore the merits of lithium for brain-inspired computing and 2) Find the key to charger-free devices.

August 13, 2021 by Kristijan Nelkovski

Can Solar, Thermal, and RF Harvesting Ever Offer a Good Energy ROI?

Some wearable manufacturers don’t consider energy harvesting (of any sort) a good return on investment. In pursuit of self-powered wearables, EE researchers are looking to change that.

August 05, 2021 by Kristijan Nelkovski

IoT Energy Harvesting Challenges: e-peas Tackles It Head-on with New PMICs

With its new PMIC, e-peas hopes to enable more performant energy harvesting for IoT devices. But to do so, what are the challenges that come with IoT energy harvesting?

June 18, 2021 by Jake Hertz

In Celebration of Earth Day: IoT May be the “Greenest” Type of Embedded Design

With the rise of edge computing, companies and researchers alike are doubling down on sustainability—from tracking endangered harbor seals to monitoring crop growth.

April 23, 2021 by Jake Hertz

Keeping Wearables Cool: Non-metallic Material Radiates Heat From Users, Circuitry, and the Sun

Thermal design is especially delicate in wearable devices. Here are a few ways researchers are tackling the issue—the most recent turning to materials science.

March 20, 2021 by Jake Hertz

E-textiles: Pipe Dream or Future Reality?

E-textile research is common, but efforts to commercialize this technology are not. With setbacks like a reliable power supply and safety, will e-textiles ever make a significant market debut?

March 19, 2021 by Rushi Patel

Energy Harvesting Spotlight: Maxim Claims “Smallest Solar Harvesting Solution”

IoT designers are commonly plagued with the issue of long-term deployment. Energy-harvesting paradigms, including a new solar harvesting device from Maxim, may be a promising supplement to battery cells.

January 18, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons

For Wearables, Inkjet-Printed Solar Cells Can Be an Ultra-Thin Power Source

The printed solar cells are so light, thin, and flexible that they can rest on a bubble.

September 17, 2020 by Luke James

A Simply Fabricated and Eco-Friendly Supercapacitor for “Greener” Wearables

Researchers have created a high performance, eco-friendly, and elastic supercapacitor that could be a boon for the development of greener wearables.

June 25, 2020 by Luke James

Progressing New Methods to Use Light and Reliable Organic Solar Cells for Wearables

In the electronics space, organic solar cells may find a range of useful applications, particularly in the development of wearable devices.

June 19, 2020 by Luke James

Microsoft Sends a Data Center to the Ocean Floor to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine

Why underwater? The reason is actually quite practical: cooling.

June 18, 2020 by Gary Elinoff

A Fast-Charging Supercapacitor Technology to Revolutionize Energy Use in EVs

Researchers at the University of Surrey have developed a new “ground-breaking” supercapacitor technology and claim that it brings the world a “step closer” to clean energy storage.

May 23, 2020 by Luke James

Solar Materials of the Future are Great on Performance. But What About Toxicity?

The materials in solar photovoltaic panels can be toxic when improperly disposed of. Are alternative materials any better?

May 11, 2020 by Tyler Charboneau

Stretchable Supercapacitors for the Next Stage of Wearables

A new discovery by researchers from Duke University and Michigan State University could lead to an excellent, stretchable source of power for wearable electronics.

March 24, 2020 by Luke James

A New Method to Harvest and Generate Electricity by Manipulating Liquid

Researchers from Nagoya University and Kyushu University have used the energy harvested from the movement of liquid and developed a device that generates electricity.

February 24, 2020 by Luke James

Engineering Smart Cities Should Focus on Technologies that Make Cities Better Places to Live

When we think “smart city”, many picture a vast landscape governed by technology in every way, shape, and form. Swathes of tech do not necessarily make cities “smart” nor an objectively better place to live, however.

February 19, 2020 by Luke James

Recent Research (Literally) Stretches the Meaning of “Sensor” and “Battery”

Several universities are researching new, stretchable materials that can act as a wearable sensor or battery.

February 04, 2020 by Nidia Trejo

New Isolated IGBT Gate Driver from Analog Devices for Power Supplies and Photovoltaic Inverters

The ADuM4137, which incorporates fault detection and can also drive MOSFETs, is intended for photovoltaic inverters, power-supply circuitry, and motor-control applications.

March 01, 2019 by Robert Keim

Power Storage for Renewables: The History of Batteries and the Advent of the Virtual Power Station

With renewable energies on the rise there is a growing need for high capacity energy storage and one possible solution are “virtual power plants”. What is a virtual power plant?

July 30, 2018 by Robin Mitchell

New Solar Panel Design Tackles Solar Energy’s Achilles Heel by Harvesting Energy from Rain

Researchers from Soochow University have developed a prototype solar panel that can harvest energy from rain. Could this be a new direction for solar energy or is it merely a neat science project?

June 04, 2018 by Robin Mitchell