- Date:
- 2009-2012
- Themes:
- Energy Harvesting, Modeling and Simulation, Systems Design, Energy Harvesting & Sensing Devices, Low-Energy Sustainable Systems, Low-Energy Sustainable Systems
- Funding:
- EPSRC (EP/G067740/1)
We are entering an era of electronic systems powered, or at least augmented, by energy harvesters. Future self-powered applications will require electronic systems that are more complex and compact but also intelligent, adaptive and able to perform more computation with less energy. ââ¬ÅNext Generation Energy-Harvesting Electronics: Holistic Approachââ¬? is a ã1.6M collaborative research project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) which began in November 2009. The project consortium consists of over 20 people at four Universities (Southampton, Imperial, Newcastle and Bristol) working in collaboration with five industrial partners: QinetiQ, Diodes Inc., ARM, NXP, and Mentor Graphics.
The project recognises the high level of interaction in an energy harvesting system, from the design and properties of the micro-generator and power conversion electronics, to the design and architecture of the load and the algorithms and applications that operate on it. This approach aims to maximise the available harvested energy and the efficiency with which it is used, and is fundamental to ultra energy-efficient design and to the miniaturisation of next-generation wireless electronics. These developments are needed in emerging application areas, including pervasive healthcare and autonomous environmental and industrial monitoring.
The three themes of the project are:
- Adaptive, High-Efficiency Micro Generators: This project is advancing the state-of-the-art by developing a micro-generator capable of adapting its resonant frequency and damping. This will achieve, for the first time, ââ¬Ëbroadband and resonantââ¬â¢ energy harvesting, thereby representing a step-change in the average power density. This theme is also investigating the interactions between an adaptive micro-generator and the power conditioning and control circuitry. This aspect of the research is investigating and designing circuit architectures that provide an efficient interface between the micro-generator and load electronics, thus linking with the second theme.
- Energy Harvesting-Aware Computation Circuits: The project is investigating energy-harvester-aware design methods for computational logic that are capable of working with variable and unpredictable energy sources. This will radically advance the state-of-the-art in ultra low power design and expand it into the area of power-adaptive electronics and computing. This research includes the investigation of generic design techniques for highly adaptive computational circuits, and the investigation of asynchronous and synchronous processor designs specifically for energy harvesting applications.
- Integrated Modelling & Performance Optimisation for Energy Harvesting Systems: To achieve optimisation of the whole energy harvesting system, the project is investigating and developing an integrated modelling and performance optimisation methodology to underpin the generation of an automated design toolkit. This will allow the modelling, simulation and optimisation of vibration-based energy harvesters. A version will be made available at the end of the project to enable users to develop bespoke system solutions where required. To support automated optimisation, the project is also investigating methods and techniques for making dramatic improvements in the simulation performance of energy harvesting systems.
For further information, please visit www.holistic.ecs.soton.ac.uk.
Primary investigator
Secondary investigators
Partners
- Newcastle University
- Imperial College London
- University of Bristol
- ARM Ltd
- Mentor Graphics Europe
- NXP Semiconductors
- QinetiQ Ltd
- Zetex PLC
Associated research groups
- Electronic Systems and Devices Group
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
- Date:
- 2010-2012
- Themes:
- Energy Harvesting, Energy Harvesting & Sensing Devices, Low-Energy Sustainable Systems, Low-Energy Sustainable Systems
- Funding:
- EPSRC (EP/H013458/1)
The Energy Harvesting Network is an EPSRC funded network of UK academic and industrial researchers and end-users of energy harvesting (EH) technology. Specifically, the primary objectives of the Network are to:
- Define new challenges in EH research and address them through new multidisciplinary teams.
- Facilitate the interaction and mobility of EH researchers.
- Ensure wide dissemination of the advances in the science and the developments of the technology.
Primary investigator
Secondary investigator
Associated research groups
- Electronic Systems and Devices Group
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
- Date:
- 2008-2012
- Themes:
- Solid dielectrics, Space and surface charge, Modelling and Simulation, Nanomaterials and Dielectrics
The polyethylene is widely used for electrical cable insulation in power cables. This material is prone to develop an inevitable effect of electrical and chemical degradation after some long-standing operation. Due to the physical and engineering importance of this phenomenon, significant effort has gone into tackling this problem, using approaches relevant to the interference of ageing mechanism, to space charge measurement and to the identification of the chemical nature of traps. The aspect on space charge phenomena has been extensively analyzed recently. The occurrence of space charge within these polymeric materials and subsequently electroluminance would introduce an early ageing effect. To assist the space charge analysis, various space charge profiling and measuring tools have been developed recently, such as PEA (Pulsed Electro-Acoustic) method. Electroluminance has been studied under both dc and ac fields. In addition, the research area on this topic has gradually extended to the numerical-computational technique of analyzing the space charge dynamics via simulation based on various space charge models.
Primary investigators
Secondary investigator
- jz208r
Associated research group
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
- Theme:
- Solid dielectrics
Polymeric electrets have been widely used as a sensor due to their light weight and low cost. The long term performance and relaibility of the sensors rely on the charge stability. Surface potential measurement is one of the most useful tools to gauge electrical properties of materials. However, the surface charges (or surface potential) tend to decay over a period of time, therefore, affects the lifetime of the sensor. For corona charged sample, it has been observed that the potential of sample with an initial high surface potential decays faster than that with an initial lower surface potential, known as cross-over phenomenon. This mechanism is also affected by room temperature, humidity and initial charging time. The phenomenon has been found a few decades ago and various theories and models have been proposed. The common feature of the existing models is that they are all based on single charge carrier injection from corona charged surface. With our recent space charge measurement results on corona charged sample, double injection from both electrodes has been verified. Based on this new fact, a new model based on bipolar charge injection has been proposed. In this research, the details of the new model will be tested both experimentally and numerically. If fully verified, it is expected that a new set of parameters related to the material can be extracted and these parameters can be useful in assess the material. Having understood the charge transport mechanisms, another objective of the present project is to improve the stability of the charge. The improvement could be achieved by using nano particles loaded polymers.
Primary investigators
- George Chen
- mr
Secondary investigator
- yz205
Associated research groups
- Electrical Power Engineering
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
- Theme:
- Solid dielectrics
Polymeric electrets have been widely used as a sensor due to their light weight and low cost. The long term performance and relaibility of the sensors rely on the charge stability. Surface potential measurement is one of the most useful tools to gauge electrical properties of materials. However, the surface charges (or surface potential) tend to decay over a period of time, therefore, affects the lifetime of the sensor. For corona charged sample, it has been observed that the potential of sample with an initial high surface potential decays faster than that with an initial lower surface potential, known as cross-over phenomenon. This mechanism is also affected by room temperature, humidity and initial charging time. The phenomenon has been found a few decades ago and various theories and models have been proposed. The common feature of the existing models is that they are all based on single charge carrier injection from corona charged surface. With our recent space charge measurement results on corona charged sample, double injection from both electrodes has been verified. Based on this new fact, a new model based on bipolar charge injection has been proposed. In this research, the details of the new model will be tested both experimentally and numerically. If fully verified, it is expected that a new set of parameters related to the material can be extracted and these parameters can be useful in assess the material. Having understood the charge transport mechanisms, another objective of the present project is to improve the stability of the charge. The improvement could be achieved by using nano particles loaded polymers.
Primary investigators
- George Chen
- mr
Secondary investigator
- yz205
Associated research groups
- Electrical Power Engineering
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
Polymeric electrets have been widely used as a sensor due to their light weight and low cost. The long term performance and reliability of the sensors rely on the charge stability. Surface potential measurement is one of the most useful tools to gauge electrical properties of materials. However, the surface charges (or surface potential) tend to decay over a period of time, therefore, affects the lifetime of the sensor. For corona charged sample, it has been observed that the potential of sample with an initial high surface potential decays faster than that with an initial lower surface potential, known as cross-over phenomenon. This mechanism is also affected by room temperature, humidity and initial charging time. The phenomenon has been found a few decades ago and various theories and models have been proposed. The common feature of the existing models is that they are all based on single charge carrier injection from corona charged surface. With our recent space charge measurement results on corona charged sample, double injection from both electrodes has been verified. Based on this new fact, a new model based on bipolar charge injection has been proposed. In this research, the details of the new model will be tested both experimentally and numerically. If fully verified, it is expected that a new set of parameters related to the material can be extracted and these parameters can be useful in assess the material. Having understood the charge transport mechanisms, another objective of the present project is to improve the stability of the charge. The improvement could be achieved by using nano particles loaded polymers.
Associated research groups
- Electrical Power Engineering
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
- Date:
- 2009-2012
- Themes:
- Nanomaterials and Dielectrics, Solid dielectrics
Nanocomposites are a class of material that have been generating increasing amounts of interest in recent years. The combination of nano-sized particulates within a virgin material can enhance its properties dramatically and has the potential of improving the performance of the system. As it is believed that the key to nanocomposite behaviour manifests itself within the nanoparticle-matrix interface, it is of great importance to study how changing the surface chemistry can aid nanophase dispersion and affect the material characteristics. This project sets out to use a range of techniques, including confocal Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy,dielectric spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy to investigate how differently functionalised nanoparticles can change the electrical and optical properties of a nanodielectric system.
Primary investigator
- asv
Secondary investigator
- cy3g09
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2009-2010
- Themes:
- High Voltage Engineering, Condition monitoring, Solid dielectrics
- Funding:
- EDF Energy Networks Ltd. (507762102)
Power distribution cable networks are inherently inaccessible and complex systems; many of them are coming to the end of their expected lifespan and are being loaded beyond their original design specifications. The ability to accurately monitor and record the real-time health of these systems is of vital importance to utility companies for activities such as planning, asset management, and pin-pointing possible weaknesses of the network. Partial Discharge (PD) activity has been highlighted as both a cause and symptom of electrical degradation of high voltage equipment. Utilities increasingly use the analysis of PD signals to make more robust maintenance and asset replacement decisions. Additionally, it reduces the likelihood of future supply interruption, and allows replacement or repairs to be planned in advanced. Finally, the use of on-line PD sensing systems can reduce costly down time and help to avoid catastrophic failures.
An EDF Energy Networks sponsored project is taking place at the Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory, University of Southampton. It involves the introduction of known faults into medium voltage three-phase PILC cable and aims to closely replicate operational conditions. The results produced by the experimental rig in the lab will be obtained using conventional techniques covered by IEC 60270, in parallel with commercially available PD monitoring equipment that is installed in distribution networks worldwide. It is hoped that the research being undertaken will develop the understanding of fault progression with respect to 11 kV three-phase PILC cables.
Primary investigators
- Paul Lewin
- djs
Secondary investigator
- lh3
Partners
- EDF Energy Networks Ltd.
- PPA Energy
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2009-2012
- Themes:
- Pervasive Computing and Networks, e-Science
- Funding:
- JISC
This JISC funded project will develop a set of sustainable tools and framework that will allow neuroscientists to efficiently and effectively use existing e-Infrastructure and by doing so will enable a more productive research cycle, streamlining the laboratory experience from conception of experiment to publication of the research results. The framework and tools will be the product of in depth user requirements analysis, adaptation of existing software, development of key missing components and a tight collaboration between neuroscientists, technologists and resource providers at three HEIs. The collaboration leverages the e-Research South consortium and builds on both a strategic regional activity and University strategy that will provide sustainability beyond the lifetime of the project. The research outputs will include open source software as well as best practice guides and training material.
Primary investigators
- Professor Philip Newland (Neuroscience)
- Professor Vincent O'Connor (Neuroscience)
- Professor Jeremy G. Frey (Chemistry)
Secondary investigator
Partners
- University of Oxford
- University of Reading
Associated research groups
- Intelligence, Agents, Multimedia Group
- Web and Internet Science
- Date:
- 2009-2010
- Theme:
- Virtual Communities and Social Systems
- Funding:
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
There is a need for effective smoking cessation support that can reach smokers who are unwilling or unable to access face-to-face sessions or telephone support (>90% of smokers). There is also a need to develop an incremental technology of behaviour change. The internet could meet both those needs. The proposal is to develop an interactive internet-based smoking cessation programme and evaluate its effectiveness, attractiveness and usability in comparison with a simple system that delivers untailored smoking cessation advice. If effective, this system would form a module for the NHS LifeCheck programme and the NHS Health Trainers Programme.
The proposed research addresses how smokers can be better assisted in their attempts to stop. It aims to: 1. To develop an effective interactive internet-based smoking cessation programme for use in the UK that will have wide potential reach by virtue of being attractive and easy to use and that will, in particular, meet the needs of smokers from routine and manual occupational groups. 2. To obtain reliable estimates of the effectiveness of this programme compared with a simpler internet-based programme that presents advice and tips on quitting but is not interactive.
Primary investigators
- Gary Wills
- Prof Robert West (Epidemilogy and Public Health)
- Prof Lucy Yarley (Health Psychology)
Secondary investigator
- aco
Partner
- ucl
Associated research groups
- Electronic and Software Systems
- Learning Societies Lab