Battery-Less 6LoWPAN-Based Wireless Home Automation by Use of Energy Harvesting

Abstract

Being one of the current main technologies, wireless sensor network (WSN) is absolutely critical and plays an increasingly important role in the development of a wide range of data acquisition, processing, and control applications. One interesting challenge application of the WSNs is Internet-based home automation system. The rapid expansion of IPv6, moreover, after IETF defined 6LoWPAN as a technique to apply IPv6 into WSNs standard, added potential for Internet paradigm communication, control, and monitoring of home automation devices from anywhere on the globe. The use of 6LoWPAN communications technology also helps lower expense of the system and decreases complexity of the home automation architecture. When implementing 6LoWPAN-based home automation system, the important feature is long periods of life to support full automation without the need for periodically replacing its batteries. To have this, 6LoWPAN home devices with total energy independence are needed. By using additional components for power management and the implementation of 3 V, 70 mA small polycrystalline silicon solar cell for solar energy harvesting, we can have home automation node for an indefinite amount of life time.