SBIR-STTR Award

To support its use of MEMS sensors for vehicle health monitoring, the Air Force seeks to couple the harvesting of ambient energy sources with a micro energy storage device. Microbatteries have demonstrated their viability as a high density power source, but their short operating life limits their usefulness. To extend the operating life of microbatteries, ambient energy sources can be used to continuously recharge the microbattery. However, to operationally support the use of microbatteries for MEMS sensors, it is necessary to increase the reliability of ambient energy collection and to develop an efficient approach to controlling the continuous recharging of the microbattery. Ambient Micro proposes an Ambient Micro Power Supply (AMPS) that couples multiple ambient energy sources with an ASIC that combines a power integrator and constant voltage charge controller with a microbattery. Ambient Micro is currently developing a Multi-Source Ambient Power Supply funded by the Office of Naval Research. We propose to leverage this work to accelerate the development of the ASIC by completing a working prototype during Phase 1. Ambient Micro will seek "fast track" matching funds in Phase 2 to expedite the design and fabrication of the micro power supply ASIC.

In Phase I, Ambient Micro successfully demonstrated the capability of its Multi-Source Ambient Power Supply module to simultaneously harvest and store energy from multiple ambient sources to extend the operating life of MEMS Vehicle Health Monitoring sensors for UAV-mounted sensor systems. As the U.S. Air Force increasingly evolves UAV mission roles to support persistent surveillance, persistent strike, and communications relay missions, its will require additional power to extend the endurance of UAV sensor payloads and for “over the horizon” communications. In Phase II, Ambient Micro will develop and demonstrate a UAV Ambient Power Supply prototype that supports these increasing power requirements for advanced sensor payloads, onboard avionics and communications. Higher power will be generated through the combined harvesting of engine waste heat and other ambient solar and vibration sources. The UAV Ambient Power Supply prototype will be designed to generate 100 watts of power at a weight of less than 1 Kg. The UAV ambient power supply will reduce the UAV fuel consumption by eliminating or reducing the power consumed by an electromechanical generator. As a result, the UAV Ambient Power Supply will significantly extend UAV endurance, range, and sensor payload “time over target”.

Keywords:
Uav, Power, Micropower, Battery, Energy Harvesting, Sensor, Endurance, Operating Life