Nano-eh: NANOMATERIALS ENABLING SMART ENERGY HARVESTING FOR NEXT-GENERATION INTERNET-OF-THINGS

The fourth Industrial Revolution is green!

Context

The fourth Industrial Revolution is based on the deployment of the Internet of Things (IoT), which interconnects autonomous mobile devices with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity and access to knowledge. In the future, our devices will become more and more connected. However, this will require environment-friendly, battery-less and efficient power supply solutions in computing, sensing and human-machine interaction. To tackle this issue, the EU-funded NANO-EH project aims to use nanomaterials in advanced device engineering for smart energy harvesting/storage submodules that are tailored for the specific needs of stand-alone, mobile or portable uses. The project aims to develop non-toxic and rare earth/lead-free materials to carry out the fourth Industrial Revolution.

Objectives

The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) builds on the Internet-of-Things (IoT) paradigm, as it relies upon the scenario of having billions of interconnected autonomous mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity and access to knowledge. While enabling such massive deployment, the 4IR should be increasingly eco-friendly. The 4IR is a disrupting approach that will force companies in almost every domain to re-organize themselves in a more efficient way, by exploiting technological breakthroughs such us artificial intelligence , wireless communication and quantum computing. The integration of these emerging technologies into every day life requires efficient power supply solutions in computing, sensing, memory enlargement and human-machine interaction. One perceived bottleneck for 4IR is that in most situations, IoT devices/networks will be remotely deployed, so that maintenance may be either incovenient or impossible. In particular, this implies that IoT devices either have to embed energy sources consistent with their operative lifespan or that clean and renewable energy convertors, if working off-grid, must sit on board. The significant broadening of the wireless communication spectrum in Europe makes the Radio frequency (RF) energy scavenging a highly desirable way forward for clean powering of the next-generation IoT.NANO-EH has the ambitious vision of creating a pathway for translating forefront knowledge of unique high frequency properties of emerging classes of nanomaterials into advanced device engineering for scalable miniaturized energy harvesting/storage submodules that are tailored for the specific needs of stand-alone, mobile or portable uses. It surpasses the current paradigm of energy harvesting materials by developing non-toxic and rare earth/lead-free materials exhibiting CMOS-compatibility and scalability for low cost and large-scale manufacturing.

Partners

Tyndall (Ir), Institut INCPM (Ro), Université de Bologne (It), Université polytechnique Delle Marche (It), Institut FOTON (Fr), Thales SA (Fr), NANOM MEMS srl (PME Ro), Te-Ox (PME Fr), Luna Geber Engineering S.r.l. (LGE) (Spin-off, It), Blue Synergy (Es).

Coordinator

Mircea MODREANU (Tyndall National Institute)

Coordinator iFOTON: Olivier DURAND (Foton-OHM)

Fundings

EU (3.929 M€, FOTON: 300 k€)

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