Battery-Free IoT Sensors! Everactive Tech Demo in 30 mins

Battery-Free IoT Sensors Overview

Introduction to Battery-Free IoT Sensors

• The presentation focuses on battery-free IoT sensors, showcasing real-time demonstrations of self-powered sensors using harvested energy.

• Peter Woodman, the principal sales engineer at Everactive, introduces himself and shares his experience with the company since its inception.

Challenges with Traditional Batteries in IoT

• Woodman discusses the drawbacks of using batteries in industrial environments, highlighting that no one is designated as a "battery changer."

• The human cost associated with battery maintenance includes unnecessary trips for replacements, diverting skilled workers from more critical tasks.

• Maintenance planners face challenges ensuring battery availability and scheduling replacements, leading to inefficiencies.

• Many facilities only instrument a small percentage of their equipment due to the burden of battery maintenance and limited data transmission capabilities.

• Battery-powered sensors often transmit less data to conserve energy, resulting in missed insights crucial for operational efficiency.

Harvesting Energy: A New Approach

Energy Harvesting Methods

• Everactive's sensors utilize five different energy sources for harvesting: temperature differential and light being the most common.

• The first product targets steam systems by scavenging waste heat from hot pipes to generate electricity for sensor operation.

• The second product monitors machine health by utilizing both temperature differentials and light (from various sources like LEDs or sunlight).

Future Developments in Energy Harvesting

• Upcoming harvesters will focus on electromagnetic fields; RF and vibration harvesting are also under consideration but not yet available commercially.

Technological Innovations Behind Sensors

Low Power Electronics

• The technology stems from university research focused on low-power electronics and radios that enable efficient energy use from minimal sources.

Live Demonstration of Sensor Technology

• Woodman demonstrates a steam trap monitor powered by thermoelectric generators that convert heat into electricity.

• He explains how Peltier devices work within these generators to produce electrical current based on temperature differences.

Data Collection and Analysis

Real-Time Data Monitoring

• Supercapacitors within the sensors allow them to operate even when primary energy sources are unavailable temporarily.

• Data collected is streamed live into a cloud platform where users can access historical measurements for analysis.

Analytics Capabilities

• Advanced analytics algorithms notify users about changes or failures in monitored systems based on learned behavior patterns.

Environmental Impact and Cost Savings

Economic Benefits of Using Battery-Free Sensors

• Over $1 million has been saved through improved monitoring of steam traps, allowing quicker responses to failures compared to manual inspections.

Ecological Advantages

• By reducing reliance on batteries containing heavy metals, Everactive contributes significantly towards minimizing landfill waste while promoting greener industrial practices.

Future Directions for Sensor Technology

Advancements in Sensor Design

• Future generations aim for smaller form factors with enhanced sensing capabilities while maintaining low power consumption.

Expanding Applications

• As technology evolves, there’s potential for pervasive sensing across facilities enabling new data streams previously unmonitored.

Advancements in Sensor Technology

Overview of Third Generation Sensors

• The third generation sensor prototype features a new radio technology, significantly enhancing its range to approximately one kilometer.

• This advancement allows for reduced energy requirements while increasing operational range, a unique achievement compared to industry standards that typically require more power for better range.

Customer Impact and Feedback

• A reliability engineer from an Indiana pet food plant noted the system's independence from IT support, with 95% of installations functioning autonomously.

• A maintenance leader at a Virginia chemical plant praised the quick and easy installation process, emphasizing that specialized tools or IoT expertise are not necessary.

Risk Mitigation Strategies

• The company emphasizes comprehensive support throughout the customer journey, ensuring all components are integrated without reliance on third-party services.

• Financial risks are minimized by offering monitoring as a service; customers can discontinue if they find it unvaluable without significant upfront investment.

Cost Efficiency and Value Proposition

• Traditional industrial sensors can exceed $1,000 each plus ongoing battery replacement costs. The company's solution offers a flat fee model that is less than these combined expenses.

• Customers can start gathering data immediately without making large investments upfront, allowing them to assess value before committing long-term.

Conclusion and Call to Action

• The presentation concludes with an invitation for potential customers to reach out for demonstrations and further discussions about integrating this technology into their operations.

• Contact information is provided for inquiries regarding pricing and next steps, encouraging engagement with the sales team.