Development of modular and sustainable electric locking devices using wireless and energy harvesting technologies

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This research develops mechatronic approaches to the design and operation of fully modular and self-sustaining electronic locking devices (ELD's). ELD's are electronic door security devices that are increasingly used for automated access control in modern buildings. A typical ELD system consists of an electromagnetic actuator such as an electric strike (E-strike), a user credential reader (e.g. a proximity reader) and a DC power supply, which are all connected through wires and cables running inside walls and/or door frames. The proposed research attempts to resolve two major issues arising from the existing ELD systems: 1) labor and cost associated with cabling and 2) energy consumption accumulated over continual use of ELD's. In the proposed research, we attempt to resolve these issues by incorporating wireless and energy harvesting technologies into the ELD's such that they can operate without any wire connections among components and also without any external power source, thereby making an ELD system completely independent, modular and self-sustaining. Compact, reliable and secure wireless communication module will be devised and configured to control E-strike remotely from the credential reader. Together, we will investigate proper and practical energy harvesting mechanisms based on our understanding of available sources of energy such as mechanical motion of doors, swing motion of a strike plate, vibration on the door frame on closing door, and ambient electromagnetic waves.