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Testbed Design for Self-sustainable Sensor Nodes
This project focuses on designing testbeds for self-sustainable IoT sensors, specifically targeting solar and thermal energy harvesting. Tasks will include ECAD and MCAD design, firmware development, and prototype testing.
Keywords: Embedded systems, PCB, firmware, MCAD, energy harvesting
Long-term and maintenance-free operation is a critical feature for large-scale deployed battery-operated sensor nodes. Energy harvesting (EH), namely the utilization of environmental energy sources for powering wireless sensors, is a promising technology to overcome the energy bottleneck of today's devices and to enable the vision of perpetual operation. However, relying on fluctuating environmental energy requires an application-specific analysis of the energy statistics combined with an in-depth characterization of circuits and algorithms, making design and verification complex. Thus, advanced test strategies are required to evaluate and validate sensor designs in controlled and repeatable lab conditions.
In this project, the student will focus on designing, optimizing, and characterizing lab test setups for solar and thermal energy harvesting. The objectives include familiarizing with the current state of the work, optimizing existing firmware, developing test strategies, and designing a testbed for thermal energy harvesting. The student will design and analyze circuits and algorithms for interfacing thermoelectric cooler/heater modules, interface multiple temperature sensors, implement a temperature control loop, and collaborate with the DITET workshop for the design and manufacturing of mechanical parts.
**Prerequisites depending on tasks** (not all required)
- Circuit design tools (e.g., Altium Designer)
- Knowledge on MCAD tools or motivation to learn (e.g., SolidWorks)
- Embedded firmware design (experience with FreeRTOS, etc. appreciated)
**Type of work**
- 5% Literature study
- 70% Software and hardware design
- 25% Mechanical design and assembly
Long-term and maintenance-free operation is a critical feature for large-scale deployed battery-operated sensor nodes. Energy harvesting (EH), namely the utilization of environmental energy sources for powering wireless sensors, is a promising technology to overcome the energy bottleneck of today's devices and to enable the vision of perpetual operation. However, relying on fluctuating environmental energy requires an application-specific analysis of the energy statistics combined with an in-depth characterization of circuits and algorithms, making design and verification complex. Thus, advanced test strategies are required to evaluate and validate sensor designs in controlled and repeatable lab conditions.
In this project, the student will focus on designing, optimizing, and characterizing lab test setups for solar and thermal energy harvesting. The objectives include familiarizing with the current state of the work, optimizing existing firmware, developing test strategies, and designing a testbed for thermal energy harvesting. The student will design and analyze circuits and algorithms for interfacing thermoelectric cooler/heater modules, interface multiple temperature sensors, implement a temperature control loop, and collaborate with the DITET workshop for the design and manufacturing of mechanical parts.
**Prerequisites depending on tasks** (not all required)
- Circuit design tools (e.g., Altium Designer)
- Knowledge on MCAD tools or motivation to learn (e.g., SolidWorks)
- Embedded firmware design (experience with FreeRTOS, etc. appreciated)
**Type of work**
- 5% Literature study
- 70% Software and hardware design
- 25% Mechanical design and assembly
- Embedded firmware design
- MCAD design
- Circuit and PCB design
- Assembly and characterization of the testbed
