The Combination of AI and Solar Cells as a New Source of Energy for IoT Devices

IoT is on everyone’s mind these days. It’s a system of devices connected through the internet. 

With the help of the right sensors, applications, and data, IoT can pretty much connect all objects and machines you can imagine. This led to the extensive use of IoT in major industries and even homes. 

This rapid increase in the usage of IoT devices, has made it challenging to find efficient and sustainable energy supply and management strategies.

The introduction of a new source of energy for IoT devices is almost like a revolution for the phygital world of IoT.

AI and Solar Cells – New Power Supply for IoT Devices 

This new solar-powered source of energy for IoT is developed by a student from Newcastle University. It is highly efficient and environment-friendly because it utilizes ambient light to power IoT devices.

The research for this new AI and solar cells technology took place under the guidance of Dr. Marina Freitag, principal investigator at the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES), Newcastle University. 

The SNES research group created dye-sensitized solar cells using copper (II/I) electrolytes. These cells achieved an extraordinary power conversion efficiency of 38% along with an impressive 1.0 V open circuit voltage at 1000 lux.

Furthermore, these solar cells are also non-toxic and environmentally friendly, which makes this innovation that much more impressive. 

Having this new energy source allows sustainable usage in sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, smart city management, etc.

In the research published in the Chemical Science Journal, Dr. Marina Freitag said this: “Our research marks an important step towards making IOT devices more sustainable and energy-efficient. By combining innovative photovoltaic cells with intelligent energy management techniques, we are paving the way for a multitude of new device implementations that will have far-reaching applications in various industries.” 

Innovative Energy Management with Artificial Intelligence & the LSTM Neural Network

The researchers at SNES introduced the use of the LSTM neural network to predict environmental changes and optimize IoT sensors. 

This enhanced the computational load, thereby improving energy-harvesting circuit efficiency and mitigating power losses and brownouts.

Integrating AI and solar cells for the capture and management of the power source works excellently to advance IoT devices. 

The energy-efficient IoT sensors employ high-efficiency ambient photovoltaic cells. This dynamically adjusts their energy usage based on LSTM predictions. 

As a result, you get significant energy conservation and a reduction in network communication demands.

Final Words

The Internet of Things era has just begun. And, innovations like this will help us make IoT friendlier for us and our planet.