Thermogenerator from the Printer

Wireless sensor networks monitor machinery and equipment in factories, cars and power stations and increasingly ''harvest'' the energy they need to transmit measurement data from the environment, thus making them self-sufficient.

At the Electronica 2012 trade fair in Munich from 13  - 16 November, Fraunhofer researchers are presenting a printed thermogenerator, which in the future will be able to generate energy supply for sensors through temperature differences.

The computer activates an alarm indicating the machine's motor is threatening to overheat. The thermosensor attached directly to the motor housing reports the threat. The information is transmitted to the maintenance service which ensures that the cause is identified.

Such sensors can be used in factories, car manufacturers and other areas in daily life. They measure temperature, humidity and wear and tear. Data is transmitted to the computer via wireless communication and read out. This enables the provision of information on the condition of parts – for instance, whether maintenance or repairs are required.

More and more frequently wireless sensors are used, which consume very low levels of energy and the power required by the sensor, the processing unit and wireless module derives its power directly from the environment instead of ''harvesting'' energy from batteries Electrical energy can be generated, for instance, from heat or movement.

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM in Bremen are presenting a printed thermogenerator, which can be tailored exactly to technical interfaces, at the Electronica trade fair in Munich.