While the glue for the Peltier module is curing, I'll start writing some code for the EFM32. The target is of course to make the complete solution low power, so I'll start by looking how the demo loaded on the board was programmed. Turn it off ...
Getting Smaller The cordless drill motor is very effective at generating power but its size is is too big to be put into a TV remote control unit.On my quest for a smaller generator I came across a hand cranked LED torch.The generator is a very ...
After the previous post I've been thinking about what to do as a harvesting project; I'd like to make something fun, but not completely useless, even think of what the technology might mean on a larger scale. I'd also like to make something that show...
I have finally created a prototype of energy harvester for my project. Let's start from the beginning. I managed to get a solid copper brick with a hole drilled through. Unfortunately, the diameter of this hole was too large to tightly fit the batter...
Just Milling about for a Tinny!I've outline milled out a PCB for the LED Driver.Here is the result. I then manually weeded out the unwanted copper with a scapel blade.After this I then decided to plate the copper and make it silvery.  ...
Ok so haven't bloged in a while but expect to get a few more in shorter spans. But firstly the important news sampled the christmas ale tonight and it is coming along nicely.I've been plodding along with a few ideas and like the others coming...
Today I did some successful trials with energy harvesting from a hot water tap. This post is just a teaser, because it is almost midnight and I have to get up early. The photo below presents a bathroom battery with a TEG attached to and a multi...
I wish I could be more positive in my blog posts, and I think I will be towards the end of this design challenge. However, at this point I meet the REAL challenges of power harvesting; that it isn't as simple as I thought it would be. I recently wrot...
This setup lives on my desk now (click to enlarge):It shows the potmeter I'm using to find the optimal input resistance to get the maximum of power out of the Peltier module; I'm using the 3105 because it's capable of delivering far more power than t...
Hello All, As you might have noticed, I haven't posted for a while; the reasons are many, I'll elaborate a small bit;Holland got a new king and queen, which was a great happening. I've been spending some time in preparations for a co...
It was Würth the wait!I placed an order with Element14 for some Würth Elektronik 8.2uH inductors and some other parts. What are they for? They're to enable the EFM32 microcontroller to drive the 24 heart LEDs from a single voltage.I've arrang...
Harvest Timeplayers.brightcove.net/.../index.html If you've been following my series you will know that I am looking for unusual places to harvest energy.How about using a smartphone? I think this is a novel concept.The video above show...
I have started my energy harvesting trials to power up the carbon monoxide detector from the difference between ambient and wall temperature. Firstly, I checked these differences in some long periods of time in couple of rooms at home. I tested both ...
Giant FrankenGecko!One of the two projects underway is the beating LED heart.After showing the LED heart prototype to my client they were most impressed and wanted more inprovements.His original idea was just to have the LEDs in a binary state either...
What's in a Name?Previously in Part 007 (I'm feeling so remote) I described a procedure to take the STK3700 blink example and use it for a new project.In it I mentioned that the its references to the work blink could be changed to a word of your choi...
It's all in the timing!Configuring the EFM32 to produce the correct timing for the InfraRed signals is easy.All the fiddly work has been done and hidden from the developer.All the developer needs to do is include and call upon the Clock Management Un...
I'm feeling so remote!players.brightcove.net/.../index.html To expedite my development, I visited the Lizard Lounge (EFM32 Community by Energy Micro) and found an IR Remote Control project that works with a Nikon D90 Camera.http://foru...
State of the HeartI've been engaged by one of my clients to produce a beating heart for a robot.Here is a picture of the prototype front panel that I created. The panel consists of two printed plastic parts, a red heart, a matching black p...
PrologI have measured the power consumption of this detector, that I got recently. Many of you have already checked the energyAware Profiler application from Simplicity Studio and know how to use it, but it is also possible to monitor the power consu...
When looking around for energy harvesting solutions I found quite a bunch of intersting techniques to get motion into energy. A lot of these are highly experimental, but look promising for the future. I'll highlight the things I found most interestin...
Hi,Yesterday I got the carbon monoxide detector that I had ordered a while ago for roadtesting and I wanted to share the video from the teardown. I did this teardown in order to disable the piezoelectric buzzer, which is very loud, especially when yo...
The board arrived So I received my board this week and it has been fun. Got the software installed and ran some of the examples and they worked great but then got to thinking about the project. I also showed it to the sustainable engineering lec...
Sorry for the Interruption to the current Service. The remote buttons are interrupt driven and its supporting code is so simple. The interrupts are configured using; /* Setup interrupts */ GPIO_IntConfig (gpioPortB, 9, false, t...
Trial & ErrorTonight I've been trying to generate enough energy out of motion to light an LED; my target is to use 'harvestable' energy from a bicycle ride to generate enough energy to light the back and/or front light. As you could have read in ...
