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XMR- A Novel Vibration Harvesting System for Wireless Sensors

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N68335-08-C-0098
Agency Tracking Number: N073-178-0675
Amount: $79,993.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N07-178
Solicitation Number: 2007.3
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2007
Award Year: 2007
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2008-01-10
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2008-07-10
Small Business Information
3921 Academy Parkway North, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
United States
DUNS: 055145320
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Charles Lakeman
 Vice President
 (505) 342-4427
 clakeman@tplinc.com
Business Contact
 H. Stoller
Title: President and CEO
Phone: (505) 342-4412
Email: hstoller@tplinc.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Wireless sensors promise to reduce the Navy’s aircraft maintenance costs via real-time monitoring of corrosion-prone components. The promise of wireless sensors lies in their reduced susceptibility to failure, reduced weight and configurational flexibility compared with conventional wired sensors. However, because of the costs of replacing batteries in sensors deployed in inaccessible locations, a significant challenge for wireless sensors is power. In this Phase I effort, TPL proposes to develop a vibration harvesting power system comprising a new vibration harvesting module developed at Washington State University and TPL’s patent-pending power management and storage system. The new harvester design is highly efficient, tunable over a broad frequency range (several 10s Hz), relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and is no larger than a stack of 3 US quarters. TPL’s power management system efficiently stores the harvested energy in electrochemical energy storage devices to efficiently meet steady state and pulse power loads (up to 500mW) as well as provide back-up power in the absence of harvestable vibrations. Designed for “ZigBee”-type applications, this system can be customized for any user-specified profile. Successful completion of the proposed effort will pave the way for a unique solution to providing power for the Navy’s remote, wireless systems.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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