L
ESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES
by George Martin (USA)
Low-Power and Energy-Harvesting Applications Low-power and energy-harvesting applications are becoming ubiquitous. This article discusses some emerging technologies and provides tips on how they can be integrated into your designs.
May 2012 – Issue 262
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ne of the benefits that comes from market. I’m not sure I agree, but let’s hold this the high-volume manufacturing of thought for a moment. integrated circuits (ICs) is that they result in Next, let’s think about the ubiquitous low-cost solutions. If your requirements are devices or solutions. Merriam Webster dicclose to any of these high-volume solutions, tionary defines ubiquitous as “existing or you can benefit. And the advantages of using being everywhere at the same time: constantthe high-volume solution in your embedded ly encountered.” The mouse is a ubiquitous system can be great. device. Think about Ted Lewis, Professor of ubiquitous in the embedComputer Science and ded world. The USB “In today’s fast-moving National Security Affairs comes to mind as does world, you would need at the Naval Postgraduate the Ethernet. It used to School, once wrote an artibe RS-232, but that’s no an overwhelming reason cle in Computer magazine longer available on new to create your own claiming that there were PCs. Carrying this a bit design. Your time-toonly four categories of ICs: further, as a designer of, market and customer zero cost, zero delay, zero say, a file system, you acceptance dictate using volume, and zero power. could create your own the ubiquitous solution The zero-cost category design or implement an includes PC, cell phone, existing file system such if one exists. Keep an eye car stereo, and other highas FAT16. In today’s fastout for the ubiquitous volume consumer-type moving world, you devices and techniques.” electronic products. The would need an overzero-delay category conwhelming reason to cresists of ICs that are used in ate your own design. applications such as supercomputing, where Your time-to-market and customer acceptance speed is the all-important characteristic. The dictate using the ubiquitous solution if one zero-volume category consists of ICs that are exists. Keep an eye out for the ubiquitous used in applications such as the space shuttle devices and techniques. and perhaps fighter planes. These are markets Now let’s think about low-power applicawhere companies such as IBM must participate. tions, extremely low-power applications, such IBM must build the computers on the space as a wall switch controlling the room lighting shuttle. The zero-power ICs are the batterythat’s not connected to any power source or operated devices. Lewis argued that the zeroeven a transducer in the road that is powered power market is really just part of the zero-cost by the vibration of vehicles passing by. There CIRCUIT CELLAR®
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