Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Networks : Technology, Components and System Design

Wireless sensors and sensor networks (WSNs) are nowadays becoming increasingly important due to their decisive advantages. Different trends towards the Internet of Things (IoT), Industry 4.0 and 5G Networks address massive sensing and admit to have wireless sensors delivering measurement data directly to the Web in a reliable and easy manner. These sensors can only be supported, if sufficient energy efficiency and flexible solutions are developed for energy-aware wireless sensor nodes.

In the last years, different possibilities for energy harvesting have been investigated showing a high level of maturity. This book gives therefore an overview on fundamentals and techniques for energy harvesting and energy transfer from different points of view. Different techniques and methods for energy transfer, management and energy saving on network level are reported together with selected interesting applications.

The book is interesting for researchers, developers and students in the field of sensors, wireless sensors, WSNs, IoT and manifold application fields using related technologies.

The book is organized in four major parts. The first part of the book introduces essential fundamentals and methods, while the second part focusses on vibration converters and hybridization. The third part is dedicated to wireless energy transfer, including both RF and inductive energy transfer. Finally, the fourth part of the book treats energy saving and management strategies. The main contents are:

• Essential fundamentals and methods of wireless sensors
• Energy harvesting from vibration
• Hybrid vibration energy converters
• Electromagnetic transducers
• Piezoelectric transducers
• Magneto-electric transducers
• Non-linear broadband converters
• Energy transfer via magnetic fields
• RF energy transfer
• Energy saving techniques
• Energy management strategies
• Energy management on network level
• Applications in agriculture
• Applications in structural health monitoring
• Application in power grids

Prof. Dr. Olfa Kanoun

is professor for measurement and sensor technology at Chemnitz university of technology. She is specialist in the field of sensors and sensor systems design.