Marine energy harvesting for remote sensor systems

从生物学家到化学海洋学家，越来越多的科学家依赖于从安装在海洋动物上的远程传感器（称为生物记录器）或自动无人驾驶车辆（auv）收集的数据。这些远程传感器平台的科学能力本质上受到电池中存储能量的限制。本研究利用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，这将延长其使用寿命，增强海洋科学研究界的观测和实验能力。这项研究将在几个方面造福社会。首先，这项工作将产生一种可供多个海洋科学团体使用的技术。其中许多用户的研究结果至关重要，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，使公众参与到这项技术的发展和科学中来。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没有，尽管有几种可能的收集方法，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来源，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其功能。第二个目标是将该系统与用于动物部署测试的数据收集系统集成。该计划的第三个目标是大力推广，包括在当地和区域的知名度。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，专注于个人技术挑战。最初的工作将集中于开发与海洋野生动物活动相匹配的能量收集技术。在确定每种潜在能源的可行性时，研究将考虑诸如能源需求、换能器效率和对宿主的潜在影响等变量。同时进行的工作将包括电路开发和与数据收集相关的编程，以便在去年进行的部署测试期间使用。实验室测试将在模拟环境中进行，最后的示范测试将使用标准的迁移和恢复方法对北象海豹进行。一家领先的船舶吊牌制造商作为顾问小组成员参与了该项目。该小组将有助于确保通过本研究开发的系统将适用于未来的设备制造商。这项研究的成果将包括详细的理论模型和实验系统结果的出版物，以及包括能量收集装置的机械和电气系统原型。

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.