Relevant publications:
VHF &
UHF Energy Harvesting Radio System Physical and MAC Layer Considerations
Xiaohu Zhang, Kansas State University, 2009
Energy Harvesting
By using the energy emitted by the sun, it should be possible to create a communication device that can be remotely solar-powered. This was the idea behind the Energy Harvesting project pursued by former graduate student Xiaohu Zhang.
To supply the energy needed to power and drive the device, solar cells used in common, handheld calculators were implemented on the device. Simple tests verified the operation of these cells.
The project resulted in the production of a solar-powered communication demoboard, pictured below. The communication IC, which is responsible for the transmission of RF signals, was designed by Ph.D. students and professors at KSU.
Device Testing
It was necessary to confirm that the testboard was indeed communicating properly. So, using test equipment rated to Microwave frequencies, the performance of the device was substantiated. The media below document parts of this process.
Preparing the Test Environment
Characterizing the Performance
The images below summarize the performance of the testboard.