Proof of concept of bottom-up IoT with energy-harvesting micro-nodes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22844
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 60:Information science, computer engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Tokuda Takashi 東京工業大学, 科学技術創成研究院, 教授 (50314539)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: IoT / エナジーハーベスティング / 光電力伝送 / CMOS / センサ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We set the ultimate goal of this project to build an IoT framework based on ultra-small edges operated by environmental light. As the most important technical element of the technology, this work focused on a CMOS-based optical energy harvesting circuit that consists of ultra-small hpotovoltaic cells, energy-sotoring capacitor(s), CMOS voltage monitoring circuit, bias circuit, and CMOS load-driving switch. In this project, we introduced new circuit topologies on bias generation and voltage monitoring circuit. The dual-capacitor configuration employed for voltage monitroing circuit is unique design in this work. We successfully eveluated and demonstrated the basic functionalities of the circuits.

Free Research Field

電気電子工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、真のIoT(Internet of Things) = 社会のあらゆるモノを情報化するためのキーテクノロジとして、”ボトムアップ型IoT”のコンセプトを実証することを目的とした。具体的な取り組みとして最も重要な、環境光で動作可能なマイクロデバイスを実現する光エナジーハーベステイングプラットフォームに関する研究を行った。
本研究で実現する技術の将来像として、電源を持たない、”全てのモノ”へのIoT化につながる。