Energy Harvesting Network Proposal

能量收集(EH)是一种通过收集环境振动、人类动力、热能和太阳能等低品位环境能源并将其转化为可用电能来为无线电子设备供电的一种手段。因此，在低功率无线传感器节点中，EH器件作为一次电池的替代品具有潜在的吸引力。它们还承诺有一天能够为一系列目前不可能实现的设备供电，包括可植入和可穿戴的医疗设备。最近的一项研究借鉴了目前参与或寻求使用EH技术的人的投入[Kompis&Aliwell，2008]，强调了EH工作固有的多学科性质以及欧洲在这一领域的世界领先地位。在英国，有许多著名的学术团体和一家拥有商业EH产品的世界领先公司。欧洲被广泛认为(甚至在美国)引领了EH技术的商业化，并走在了研究努力的前沿。它还建议了一种以挑战为导向的方法来推动研发。在与EPSRC的讨论(2008年10月20日)中，一个重要的发现得到了加强，那就是学术界是多样化的，但也是支离破碎的，除了当前宏观设备的微型化之外，还需要新的研究挑战。该领域的应用重点特征需要转移到更具挑战性的场景中，以实现EH的全部潜力，这将需要新参与者和新方法的参与。仍然存在一些挑战，人们普遍认为，到目前为止，EH技术的开发只解决了容易摘到的果实。目前，所有商业产品都是宏观规模的，仅限于工业状态监测或建筑控制应用。要实现EH在实现下一代无线设备(如医疗植入物和嵌入式传感器)方面的真正潜力，需要应对一些特别困难的挑战。这超越了目前设备小型化的努力。尽管目前的多学科方法包括MEMS制造、电子设计、系统级优化和换能器设计方面的专业知识，但今天的团队将不足以应对其中许多挑战。需要的是，研究人员在其他学术学科中寻找技能和灵感，目前没有参与EH研究，并在要求更高的领域发现应用挑战。这一拟议的网络将通过确定和推进新的研究挑战，并通过更广泛地让所有潜在终端用户参与传播EH技术的当前和未来能力来实现这一目标。如果欧洲和英国要保持在这项至关重要的使能技术方面的世界领先地位，这是至关重要的。

Energy harvesting (EH) is a means of powering wireless electronic devices by scavenging many low grade ambient energy sources such as environmental vibrations, human power, thermal and solar and their conversion into useable electrical energy. EH devices are therefore potentially attractive as replacements for primary batteries in low power wireless sensor nodes. They also hold the promise of one day enabling the powering of a range of devices not currently possible including implantable and wearable medical devices. A recent study which drew on the inputs of those currently involved in or seeking to use EH technology [Kompis & Aliwell, 2008] highlighted the inherently multidisciplinary nature of EH work and the world leading position of Europe in this area. In the UK there are a number of prominent academic groups and a world leading company with commercial EH products. Europe is widely recognised (even in the USA) as having led the commercialisation of EH technology and being at the forefront of research efforts. It also recommended a challenge-led approach to drive R&D. A major finding that was reinforced during discussions with EPSRC (20th Oct 2008) was that the academic community is diverse but fragmented and also in need of new research challenges beyond just miniaturisation of current macro-scale devices. The application focus characteristic of the field needs to move on to the more challenging scenarios to realise the full potential of EH and this will take the involvement of new players and new approaches.A number of challenges remain and it is generally believed that so far it is only the low hanging fruit that have been addressed in development EH technology. Currently all commercial offerings are macro in scale and restricted in application to industrial condition monitoring or building control applications. For the true potential of EH to be realised in enabling the next generation of wireless devices e.g. medical implantables and embedded sensors there are a number of particularly difficult challenges to be met. This goes beyond current efforts at miniaturisation of devices. Despite the current multidisciplinary approach which includes expertise in MEMS fabrication, electronics design, systems level optimisation and transducer design, the teams of today will not be adequate to address many of these challenges. What is required is that the researchers reach out for skills and inspiration in other academic disciplines, not currently involved in EH research, and find applications challenges in more demanding sectors. This proposed network will seek to achieve this by defining and progressing the new research challenges and by engaging the full range of potential end users more broadly in dissemination on the current and future capabilities of EH technology. This is vital if Europe and UK within in are to maintain their world lead in this vital enabling technology.