The internet of things (IoT) has grown incredibly over the past decade. IoT devices are becoming widely dispersed and, by staying connected to central systems, generate valuable data-based insights for businesses.
While continuous power for devices at the edge of the IoT network is often available, many of today’s innovative industrial and commercial applications warrant the use of battery power or other mechanisms as the cost of supplying continuous power is prohibitive.
For example, refineries, transmission lines, power generation sites, etc., call for devices and sensors that can withstand rugged environments without local power sources. In this article, we examine new energy harvesting technologies and mechanisms that are available for IoT edge devices.