Recipe for a modular flexible energy supply and management platform

March 25, 2020

How to combine energy harvesting elements, energy storage and supply system, sensors and lighting elements into an autonomous energy-supply platform for wearable electronics?

In Smart2Go project, VTT answered this question with the development of a standalone fully programmable testing device (1-layer printed circuit board on PET, overall size: 20 x 40 mm) comprising of Bluetooth communication platform, an energy harvesting circuitry, on-board printed antenna and an accelerometer component, which acts as an internal sensor for system wake-up and motion detection. In parallel, the company Trelic has investigated several electrically conductive adhesives (ECA) with the aim to identify the most reliable and user-friendly interconnection technologies, able to connect the various parts of the Smart2Go platform.

Technical progresses were also achieved in the development of the microbatteries (by VARTA, no damages or capacity loss during the bending tests) and the OPV modules (By ARMOR, 40 Wp/m² and succeeding the 10.000 winding/unwinding bending tests). Additional components (supercapacitors and thermoelectric modules) will be finalized during summer and, in parallel, the roll-to-roll manufacturing process for the integration of all the components will ensure suitable production capacity with low manufacturing costs.

Stay updated about the upcoming project results!