Micropower Materials Development for Wireless Sensor Networks

• Published in: MRS bulletin Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. 408 - 409
• Main Authors: Steingart, Dan, Roundy, Shad, Wright, Paul K., Evans, James W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.04.2008; Springer International Publishing; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied and Technical Physics; Carriers; Carriers, Storage, & Transformation; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Communication; Electrical Flow; Energy Materials; Materials Engineering; Materials Science; Measuring instruments; Nanotechnology; Power management; Power sources; Storage; Time synchronization; Transformation/Electrical Flow; Wireless sensor networks
• ISSN: 0883-7694; 1938-1425
• DOI: 10.1557/mrs2008.81

Subcentimeter wireless computers capable of interfacing physically with their environment and communicating with each other have progressed from concept to commercial reality in the past decade. Wireless sensor nodes are an exciting technology, as they provide a backbone to measure almost any quantity in a spatially disperse way, allowing time-synchronized correlations over meters or miles. Before these devices can be deployed to monitor and protect environments (such as grid power distribution systems, buildings, factories, or even the human body) for long periods of time, they need a power source. Environmental generation looks to be a promising method.