There is an interesting and promising innovation in the IoT space. The company Ubito has developed a wireless sensor equipped with a Wiegand Harvester. This is capable of generating the energy for the operation of the sensor as well as for radio transmission. Therefore, this sensor is ideally suited for integration into a complex IoT.
Table of Contents: What awaits you in this article
Ubito has achieved the following progress
Conventional Wiegand sensors do not generate enough energy for their own operation. They therefore had to be supplied with additional energy from outside. The researchers and developers have now managed to increase the energy generation of Wiegand harvesters by 50 times. As a result, the energy generation is now sufficient for them to operate completely self-sufficiently.
First prototype delivers promising results
For demonstration purposes, Ubito developed an IoT window sensor with Wiegand harvesters. This is mounted directly on the window sash. There are two magnets on the window frame. When the harvester slides past the magnets, this event causes a magnetic reversal inside the electronics. This releases enough energy to supply a temperature sensor with electrical power. This sensor delivers the measured value via radio to a gateway. It is located at a distance of 60 meters.
This prototype has shown that Wiegand harvesters are quite useful. They offer great potential both in the smart home and in the smart city sector. They can be used almost anywhere and even without an additional energy supply. Therefore, they can also be used where there is no power connection.
Ubito is developing the Wiegand Harvester even further
The prototype is just the beginning. The Wiegand technology will be developed much further and more complex. For the setup as well as the use of the IoT, they offer remarkable potential. The biggest advantage is that sensors can be placed in any position imaginable. There is no need for cumbersome cabling for power supply. Therefore, even a complex IoT can be set up in which there are numerous sensors.
What is behind the Wiegand Harvester?
As soon as it comes to generating energy, most people immediately think of photovoltaics or similar processes. The Wiegand Harvesters generate energy through kinetic induction. This means that magnets in electronic components trigger a reverse polarization. This results in electrical energy being generated. Thanks to Ubito’s sophisticated technology, this process has been optimized to provide more energy than required. Therefore, in addition to the actual sensors, radio modules can also be operated with it.
