How we harvest ambient light to power IoT with OPV module?

Reading time : 6 min | 12/02/2020
LoraTap-Switch

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We’ve launched a few months ago a youtube playlist called « Powered by LAYER® » presenting some quick and dirty programs with our close partners :

LoRa sensor with e-peas

Dracula Technologies and e-peas have developed a demonstrator that allows the reading of temperature, humidity, and pressure data and the transmission of this information via the LoRa protocol.

This demonstrator is composed of an 8-band LAYER® module specially designed and produced for this project. The module recharges a CapXX supercapacitor (1.2F – 5.0V) which then powers the E-peas harvester (AEM10941). The latter is used to manage the LoRa chip and the various sensors.

This device is characterized by its very long autonomy: when there is sufficient sunlight (enough power generated by LAYER® to compensate for the consumption of the electronic components), the supercapacitor is recharged, when the sunlight is too low, the energy stored in the capacitor allows transmissions to continue.


LoRa-Tap-Sensor

Real time data with an autonomous ON Semi board

Harvest light with LAYER® and get an autonomous IoT device by plugging or OPV modules into the RSL10 Solars Sens Gevk board and retrieve real-time data on the “RSL10 Sensor Beacon App”.

The board features various sensors including temperature, humidity, air pressure, and a 3-axis accelerometer.

When the light level is enough (More than 200 lux) you will be able to receive data updates every 2-3s.


On-Semi-Board

Harvest ambient light to power LoRa tap switch

Harvest light with LAYER® and power your LoRa Tap switch. For this demonstration, we used a 5V – 0,047F supercap. The supercap recharges in less than 2mn when exposed to light (1000lux), once charged it allows up to twenty ON/OFF.

Keep in mind that to power such device you need to:

– Have a power backup like rechargeable batteries or supercapacitors.

– Design your power back up such its tension allows functional use (min. 3V)

– Use a LAYER® that generates enough tension (either Demokit6 or Demokit11)


LoraTap-Switch

How it really works?

Like other photovoltaics systems, the current generated by LAYER® is strongly dependent on the amount of available light. As shown in the video, when LAYER® is covered, it delivers only a few microamps whereas when exposed to light (600lux), it delivers more than 100µA.

This amount of current is enough to power low consumption sensors (See Episode 1 & Episode 2) under daily use.

Check our LAYER® performances under different light illuminances at :


Mechanical-Ampermeter

A temperature sensor combined with an NFC Tag

This is a temperature sensor that collects temperature data fed by one of our LAYER® modules. RFID Tag communication is initiated when approaching the phone via NFC :


NFC-Tag
These “quick and dirty” autonomous IoT can be upgraded into daily life solutions, such as :  

  • Public Transportation
  • Access Point
  • Subscription
  • Healthcare
  • Payments & Withdrawal

Secure a green and reliable power source for your device and prove your concept :


Test it now

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Dracula Technologies

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LAYER® just even got better!

Take a look at an OPV module that gives 15% more energy output thanks to its optimal design.

  • Ultra-thin 1mm silver conductors made possible with precision printing.
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Get all the details in our latest press release!