Sensor+Test 2018
Thermoelectrically Powered Sensor Module
Fraunhofer IIS develops self-sufficient temperature and acceleration sensors for building and structure monitoring. The power is supplied using fully integrated thermogenerators. The latest generation will be presented at Sensor+Test in Nuremberg.
The BlueTEG sensor module records temperature and acceleration values. The data is transmitted via Bluetooth Low Energy. The power is supplied using thermoelectric energy harvesting which allows a self-sufficient installation in the field.
The sensor module was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) for long-term and battery-free monitoring of machine states and operating processes (condition monitoring). Commercially available thermogenerators and an in-house voltage converter generate the supply current using the temperature difference between the environment and the surface on which the sensor module rests.
With a surface temperature of around 25 °C, human skin is also suitable for this, for example when the power module is integrated into a wearable wristband.
