Wearable flexible lightweight modular RFID tag with integrated energy harvester

A novel wearable radio frequency identification (RFID) tag with sensing, processing, and decision-taking capability is presented for operation in the 2.45-GHz RFID superhigh frequency (SHF) band. The tag is powered by an integrated light harvester, with a flexible battery serving as an energy buffer. The proposed active tag features excellent wearability, very high read range, enhanced functionality, flexible interfacing with diverse low-power sensors, and extended system autonomy through an innovative holistic microwave system design paradigm that takes antenna design into consideration from the very early stages. Specifically, a dedicated textile shorted circular patch antenna with monopolar radiation pattern is designed and optimized for highly efficient and stable operation within the frequency band of operation. In this process, the textile antenna's functionality is augmented by reusing its surface as an integration platform for light-energy-harvesting, sensing, processing, and transceiver hardware, without sacrificing antenna performance or the wearer's comfort. The RFID tag is validated by measuring its stand-alone and on-body characteristics in free-space conditions. Moreover, measurements in a real-world scenario demonstrate an indoor read range up to 23 m in nonline-of-sight indoor propagation conditions, enabling interrogation by a reader situated in another room. In addition, the RFID platform only consumes 168.3 mu W, when sensing and processing are performed every 60 s

Energy consumption management in Smart Homes: An M-Bus communication system

Energy consumption management in Smart Home environments relies on the implementation of systems of cooperative intelligent objects named Smart Meters. In order for devices to cooperate to smart metering applications' execution, they need to make their information available. In this paper we propose a framework that aims at managing energy consumption of controllable appliances in groups of Smart Homes belonging to the same neighbourhood or condominium. We consider not only electric power distribution, but also alternative energy sources such as solar panels. We define a communication paradigm based on M-Bus for the acquisition of relevant data by managing nodes. We also provide a lightweight algorithm for the distribution of the available alternative power among houses. Performance evaluation of experiments in simulation mode prove that the proposed framework does not jeopardise the lifetime of Smart Meters, particularly in typical situations where managed devices do not continuously turn on and off

Vehicle electrification: technologies, challenges and a global perspective for smart grids

Nowadays, due to economic and climate concerns, the private transportation sector is shifting for the vehicle electrification, mainly supported by electric and hybrid plug-in vehicles. For this new reality, new challenges about operation modes are emerging, demanding a cooperative and dynamic operation with the electrical power grid, guaranteeing a stable integration without omitting the power quality for the grid-side and for the vehicle-side. Besides the operation modes, new attractive and complementary technologies are offered by the vehicle electrification in the context of smart grids, which are valid for both on-board and off-board systems. In this perspective, this book chapter presents a global perspective and deals with challenges for the vehicle electrification, covering the key technologies toward a sustainable future. Among others, the flowing topics are covered: (1) Overview of power electronics structures for battery charging systems, including on-board and off-board systems; (2) State-of-the-art of communication technologies for application in the context of vehicular electrification, smart grids and smart homes; (3) Challenges and opportunities concerning wireless power transfer with bidirectional interface to the electrical grid; (4) Future perspectives about bidirectional power transfer between electric vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle operation mode); (5) Unified technologies, allowing to combine functionalities of a bidirectional interface with the electrical grid and motor driver based on a single system; and (6) Smart grids and smart homes scenarios and accessible opportunities about operation modes.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT

Wireless Power Hotspot that Charges All of Your Devices

Each year, consumers carry an increasing number of gadgets on their person: mobile phones, tablets, smartwatches, etc. As a result, users must remember to recharge each device, every day. Wireless charging promises to free users from this burden, allowing devices to remain permanently unplugged. Today's wireless charging, however, is either limited to a single device, or is highly cumbersome, requiring the user to remove all of her wearable and handheld gadgets and place them on a charging pad. This paper introduces MultiSpot, a new wireless charging technology that can charge multiple devices, even as the user is wearing them or carrying them in her pocket. A MultiSpot charger acts as an access point for wireless power. When a user enters the vicinity of the MultiSpot charger, all of her gadgets start to charge automatically. We have prototyped MultiSpot and evaluated it using off-the-shelf mobile phones, smartwatches, and tablets. Our results show that MultiSpot can charge 6 devices at distances of up to 50cm.National Science Foundation (U.S.

Alternative energy resource from electric transportation

Author name used in this publication: Sutanto, DRefereed conference paper2004-2005 > Academic research: refereed > Refereed conference paperVersion of RecordPublishe

IoT system for anytime/anywhere monitoring and control of vehicles’ parameters

This paper presents an IoT (Internet of Things) system designed to allow the monitoring and control of parameters of the users’ vehicles, anytime and anywhere in the world, through the Internet. The system prototype was developed and tested using an electric vehicle (EV) and the respective sensor systems. The main components of the proposed IoT system are: a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) intra-vehicular wireless sensor network (IVWSN); a mobile device that acts both as the vehicle’s gateway, connecting the IVWSN to the Internet, and as the vehicle’s human machine interface (HMI); an online server/database, based on Firebase; a client, which can be either a mobile device or a personal computer; and a residential wireless sensor network (WSN). The use of a wireless network to collect sensor data inside of the vehicle introduces some advantages when compared with conventional wired networks, whereas the inclusion of a residential WSNs in the proposed IoT architecture allows the provision of additional features, such as automatic control of the EV battery charging process. Experimental results are provided to assess the performance of the developed IVWSN and HMI.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145- FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Emove

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsEMOVE – Innovative Technologies, Ltd. is a young Portuguese Technological start-up competing in the alternative energy generation sector through its innovative concept of electrical production: the ESG (Electric Spherical Generator - International Patent pending) - a unique generator that absorbs all movements and oscillations, converting them into electrical energy. Due to the versatility of this disruptive device, EMOVE nowadays in its organization hub contain several sub-brands in progress, being aim of this report the development and implementation of EMOVE Nano and its product innovation – nanoCharenvi – within the emerging portable power market. By reducing the ESG into such a nano-sized scale and incorporating this nano-electrical mechanical system(NEMS) with portable regular batteries, EMOVE Nano proposes itself to introduce the electronics market into a new power era, where future portable handsets no longer will require the old fashion wall power outlet. In fact EMOVE Nano’s ambition is to empower people using their own daily body motion and consequently have their mobile devices generating power anytime anywhere. Portable Power Market as an emerging arena presents itself as a very business attractive segment, giving a special attention within this report to the Mobile Phones and Portable Music Players Markets, where nanoCharenvi solution offers higher adoption rates and profitability. Being cumulative evaluated in more than US $200 billion and still without any existing competitor leader, portable applications power gap rapidly entered in EMOVE’s market entering race. Forecasted to penetrate the market in 2014, EMOVE Nano aims to develop a strong joint venture with a major handset manufacturer as Nokia, reaching the break-even of the initial investment of € 1.25M in 2.5 years

Warehouse monitoring, data logging and interface implementation based on internet of things application

Mestrado em ESTG-IPBDue to the high demand for wood around the world, wood warehouses are becoming increasingly popular. As a result, the large amount of stored wood requires special attention to maintain its quality, as well as, the protection of wood warehouses, which can now be accomplished thanks to the Internet of Things platforms and applications, therefore, this project aims to develop a system capable of real-time monitoring of the wood warehouse, based on the ATMEGA328P microcontroller, LoRa technology for data transmission, as well as, flame, gas, humidity, and temperature sensors, in order to prevent any disaster that could affect the warehouse operators, as well as, it can due to a significant losses of stored wood and its quality, Finally, to preserve the environment from the fire ignitions.Devido à grande procura de madeira em todo o mundo, os armazéns de madeira estão a tornar-se cada vez mais populares. Como resultado, a grande quantidade de madeira armazenada requer uma atenção especial para manter a sua qualidade, bem como a protecção dos armazéns de madeira, o que agora pode ser conseguido graças às plataformas e aplicações da Internet das Coisas, portanto, Este projecto visa desenvolver um sistema capaz de monitorização em tempo real do armazém de madeira, baseado no microcontrolador ATMEGA328P, tecnologia LoRa para transmissão de dados, bem como sensores de chama, gás, humidade e temperatura, a fim de evitar qualquer catástrofe que possa afectar os operadores do armazém, bem como perdas significativas de madeira armazenada e da sua qualidade, finalmente, para preservar o ambiente do risco de incêndio

Minimizing residential distribution system operating costs through intelligently scheduled plug-in hybrid electric vehicle charging

Rising fuel prices and environmental concerns are threatening the stability of current electrical grid systems. These factors are pushing the automobile industry towards more effcient, hybrid vehicles. Current trends show petroleum is being edged out in favor of electricity as the main vehicular motive force. The proposed methods create an optimized charging control schedule for all participating Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles in a distribution grid. The optimization will minimize daily operating costs, reduce system losses, and improve power quality. This requires participation from Vehicle-to-Grid capable vehicles, load forecasting, and Locational Marginal Pricing market predictions. Vehicles equipped with bidirectional chargers further improve the optimization results by lowering peak demand and improving power quality