Name: Energy Harvesting for Internet of Underwater Things
Acronym: GROTTOES
Funding: Croatia - Israel Scientific Research Program
Start and end date: 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2026
Coordinator: University of Haifa and University of Zagreb
About the project:
The Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT) signifies a network of underwater devices embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity. These networks are used for oceanographic data collection (e.g., temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen), ocean environmental monitoring, seabed mapping, and communication. A key technology for IoUT is energy harvesting to extend operation time. We identify two high potential sources of available energy: acoustic ambient noise and acceleration. Close to surface or around vessels, the intensity of ambient noise can reach a level of 1W of potential power. Completing this is self-motion of water current induced acceleration. Depending on the type of motion, energy can be harvested from these accelerations with a potential of tens of mW. In this research, we plan to design novel circuits to extract energy from transients of ambient noise by use of a dense array of polymer-based hydrophones, and from the self-motion of the IoUT device. We believe that these new circuits can revolutionize underwater remote sensing by doubling the storage efficiency. To demonstrate this, collaborating with the Israeli Nature and Park Authority, we plan to implement the designed circuits onboard a new sensing tag glued upon sea turtles to explore their sensitivity to noise pollution from vessel’s radiated noise. Our preliminary results show the possibility of extracting sufficient energy for the operation of these tags for a few months.