‘ICT4EE’ is an industry oriented group at Tyndall with a mission statement that is embedded in its group name, identifying and exploiting ICT opportunities to improve energy efficiency in buildings, micro-grids and smart cities. At the heart of this lies a ‘one stop shop’ based on the following enabling technologies for IoT devices that are developed and system integrated in close collaboration with other Tyndall groups and with academic and industry partners and associations.
WSN (Wireless Sensors Networks) – IoT devices and systems can be retrofitted into new and existing equipment and infrastructure. This enables data to be gathered to help with deciding on how energy savings can be made and renewable energies seamlessly and efficiently integrated. It can also be used undertake conditional monitoring of equipment i.e. to enable predictive maintenance.
Endeco WSN Sensing and Actuation Platform
Energy Harvesting – eliminating the need for battery replacement in IoT devices or at least extending their battery life through careful power management coupled with identifying and maximizing use of ambient energies in a given application environment. The group specializes in development of application specific power management solutions (simulation models and hardware) and system integration of Tyndall and OEM transducers and storage devices.
PSiP & PwrSoc – PSiP (power supply in package) entails embedding power electronics in multi-chip modules along with sensors, transceivers and other components found in IoT devices. PwrSoC (power supply on chip) comprises embedding circuits and components onto Silicon where possible. This is critical for reducing power consumption, energy harvesting compatibility and form factor of IoT devices for as well as improving their robustness.
MOSYCOUSIS Multi-Source Energy Harvester
Tyndall ICT4EE - Key Achievements
World’s 1st open source power management solution self-powering wireless sensors indefinitely using just indoor lighting, capable of operating for 72 hours in darkness (SFI ITOBO project).
1st known tool for assisting in planning development and deployment of energy harvesting powered WSN devices in real life applications (IERC ROWBUST project).
WSN platform for sensing and actuation of refrigeration and lighting systems in retail application developed for and licensed to Endeco Technologies, an Irish SME, demonstrating 19% energy savings in a retail application (EI innovation partnership).
Tyndall ICT4EE Profile
20+ person years of effort & 100+ person years of experience.
>€6M investment accrued over 8 years for Tyndall and Irish industry partners.
ROWBUST Simulation Tool
WSN
Multi-radio platforms for micro-grid applications (current clamps, gateways, meter interfaces, multi-sensor nodes) developed on EU projects GreenCom & ME3Gas and Irish government funded projects ITOBO (SFI) & BuildWise (EI).
Energy Harvesting
Multi-source Energy harvesting platform capable of delivering 2mW and self-powering a conditional monitoring diagnostic unit for cold room applications (MOSYCOUSIS).
Multi-source energy harvesting IC (in development) in collaboration with MCCI incorporating self start, extremely wide input voltage range at ultra-low ambient energies (EI funded MISCHIEF project 2015-2017).
PSiP/PSoC
Tyndall is an active member of PSMA (Power Sources Manufacturing Association) packaging, magnetics & energy harvesting committees and promotes system level synergies between these disciplines.
The 2014 3D packaging technology roadmap commissioned by PSMA was undertaken by Tyndall and launched at APEC 2014.
Multidisciplinary Research Capability
Hardware design (WSN and power management circuits), Energy harvesting and storage systems (circuits, devices and models), PWrSoc and PSiP embedding of active and passive components, WSN and energy Harvesting system deployments for energy efficiency, internal and external collaborations from devices to systems.
