Marine energy harvesting for remote sensor systems

越来越多的科学家，从生物学家到化学海洋学家，依赖于从海洋动物安装的遥感器（称为生物记录仪）或自动无人驾驶车辆（AUV）收集的数据。这些遥感器平台的科学能力本质上受到其电池内储存的能量的限制。这项研究利用了一个跨学科团队的专业知识，为海洋环境电子传感器节点开发环境能量收集技术，这将延长操作寿命，提高海洋科学研究界的观测和实验能力。这项研究将以多种方式造福社会。首先，这项工作将产生一种可供多个海洋科学界使用的技术。许多用户的研究成果至关重要，并为从渔业可持续性到野生动物保护和气候变化等领域提供信息。此外，该计划将积极参与外展工作，使公众参与这一技术的发展和其中的科学。能量收集用于陆地传感器应用，但在海洋传感器领域基本上是缺席，尽管有几种可能的收获方法，并呼吁海洋科学界使用。该计划的重点是为小型海洋传感器系统（如动物安装跟踪和数据记录标签）开发外围能量采集器设备。研究的第一个目标是量化潜在的能源，并选择具有最广泛影响潜力的能源。该团队计划开发一个收获模块，并进行基于实验室的测试来验证功能。第二个目标是将该系统与数据收集系统集成，以便在动物身上展开试验期间使用。该方案的第三个目标是大力开展外联工作，包括提高当地和区域知名度。为了实现这些目标，一个由机械工程师、电气工程师、生物学家和私营行业人员组成的团队已经聚集在一起，专注于个人的技术挑战。初步工作将侧重于开发与海洋野生动物活动相匹配的能量收集技术。该研究将考虑变量，如能源需求，换能器效率，并在确定每个潜在能源的可行性时对主机的潜在影响。同时进行的工作将包括与数据收集有关的电路开发和编程，以供去年进行的部署测试使用。实验室内测试将在模拟环境中进行，最终的示范测试将使用标准的移位和恢复方法对北方象海豹进行。一家领先的海洋标签制造商已被列入该项目作为一个顾问小组的成员。该小组将有助于确保通过这项研究开发的系统在未来适用于设备制造商。这项研究的成果将包括详细介绍理论模型和实验系统结果的出版物，以及包括能量收集设备的原型机械和电气系统。

There is a growing community of scientists, ranging from biologists to chemical oceanographers, that rely on data collected from marine animal mounted remote sensors (known as bio-loggers) or autonomous unmanned vehicles (AUVs). The scientific capabilities of these remote sensor platforms are inherently limited by the amount of energy stored within their batteries. This research leverages the expertise of an interdisciplinary team to develop ambient energy-harvesting technology for marine environment electronic sensor nodes, which will extend operational lifetimes, enhancing observational and experimental capabilities for the ocean science research community. The research will benefit society in several ways. Primarily, the effort will result in an enabling technology that will be used by multiple ocean science communities. The research results of many of these users are critically important and inform areas ranging from fishery sustainability to wildlife conservation and climate change. Additionally, the program will actively participate in outreach efforts to engage the public in this technology development and science therein.Energy harvesting is used in terrestrial sensor applications, but is largely absent in the marine sensor field despite several possible harvesting methods and calls for use by the ocean science community. This program focuses on the development of a peripheral energy harvester device for small marine sensor systems such as animal mounted tracking and data-logging tags. The first objective of the research is to quantify potential energy sources and select that which has the broadest impact potential. The team plans to develop a harvesting module and conduct lab-based tests to verify the functionality. The second objective is the integration of this system with a data collection system for use during on-animal deployment testing. The third objective of the program is a significant outreach effort, including local and regional visibility. To meet these objectives, a team of mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, biologists, and private industry personnel has been assembled to focus on individual technological challenges. Initial work will focus on the development of energy harvesting technology matched to marine wildlife activity. The research will consider variables such as energy requirements, transducer efficiencies, and potential effects on the host when determining the viability of each potential energy source. Concurrent efforts will include circuit development and programming associated with data collection for use during the deployment tests occurring in the last year. In-lab testing will be performed in simulated environments and final demonstration tests will be performed on northern elephant seals using a standard translocation and recovery method. A leading marine tag manufacturer has been included in the project as a member of an advisory panel. This panel will help ensure systems develop through this research will be applicable to device manufacturers in the future. Products from this research will include publications detailing theoretic models and experimental system results, as well as the prototype mechanical and electrical systems comprising the energy harvesting device.