Energy harvesting for wireless sensor networks: opportunities and challenges: paper presented at a conference held on 14-16 July 2015, Elephant Hills Resort, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The spatial distributed nature of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) often requires that batteries power the individual sensor nodes. However, when the battery power is depleted, the sensor node must be manually retrieved and the battery replaced. For long term applications, retrieving thousands of sensor nodes to replace the on-board battery is costly. The battery replacement is not only expensive, but can be a very difficult task in applications such as implanted biomedical devices and cases where sensors are embedded in civil structures. As a way out of the power supply challenge in WSNs, it is critical that alternatives to batteries be aggressively explored. The most attractive alternative which has received great research attention in the last decade is energy harvesting technology. This paper presents the opportunities and design challenges of the latest energy harvesting techniques.