An innovative wireless switch could cut home wiring costs in half.
A researcher has developed, for less than $1, a wireless switch that operates without batteries and could reduce the cost of electrical wiring in a house.
The battery-free invention works by capturing ambient energy, potentially making homes more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and affordable.
An engineering researcher at the University of Alberta has created a wireless switch that could cut the cost of wiring a house by 50%.
Wireless switches, consisting of a transmitter on the switch and a receiver near a light fixture or other device, have been around for many years and have been proven to reduce material and labor costs for home wiring, explains Mr.Moez, director of electrical engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. However, they require batteries to function.
"If you have 50 wireless switches in a house, it's very inconvenient for an average homeowner to run around and replace batteries constantly," he explains.
What makes his system unique is that the switches operate without batteries, harvesting energy from ambient sources such as radiofrequency signals. Instead, each floor would be equipped with one or two radiofrequency (RF) power transmitters to power all the switches inside the house.
So far, Mr. Moez has developed a prototype switch that be installed anywhere on a wall. The system is "scalable, easy to replicate and adopt, and can be customized to meet the specific needs of homeowners, contractors, and regulators," he says.
The switch can also accommodate temperature, humidity, and occupancy sensors that can significantly reduce energy consumption.
"Imagine heating a 279-square-meter house, but you're only using one room at a time. If your house is equipped with wireless-controlled vents, you can close the vents outside of that room, or maybe a few bedrooms," explains Mr. Moez.
The "perfectly automated" system could also turn lights on and off as occupants move from room to room.
Source: University of Alberta
The battery-free invention works by capturing ambient energy, potentially making homes more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and affordable.
An engineering researcher at the University of Alberta has created a wireless switch that could cut the cost of wiring a house by 50%.
Wireless switches, consisting of a transmitter on the switch and a receiver near a light fixture or other device, have been around for many years and have been proven to reduce material and labor costs for home wiring, explains Mr.Moez, director of electrical engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. However, they require batteries to function.
"If you have 50 wireless switches in a house, it's very inconvenient for an average homeowner to run around and replace batteries constantly," he explains.
What makes his system unique is that the switches operate without batteries, harvesting energy from ambient sources such as radiofrequency signals. Instead, each floor would be equipped with one or two radiofrequency (RF) power transmitters to power all the switches inside the house.
So far, Mr. Moez has developed a prototype switch that be installed anywhere on a wall. The system is "scalable, easy to replicate and adopt, and can be customized to meet the specific needs of homeowners, contractors, and regulators," he says.
The switch can also accommodate temperature, humidity, and occupancy sensors that can significantly reduce energy consumption.
"Imagine heating a 279-square-meter house, but you're only using one room at a time. If your house is equipped with wireless-controlled vents, you can close the vents outside of that room, or maybe a few bedrooms," explains Mr. Moez.
The "perfectly automated" system could also turn lights on and off as occupants move from room to room.
Source: University of Alberta
