Kit Enables Permanently-Powered Wireless Sensor Networks

TI’s eZ430-RF2500-SEH solar energy harvesting kit combines Cymbet’s EnerChip thin-film battery solution with TI’s ultra-low power MSP430 MCU and RF technology.

As wireless network systems designers look to alternative energy sources, Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) announced a solar energy harvesting (SEH) development kit that converts ambient light into power for industrial, transportation, agricultural and commercial applications. The credit card-sized eZ430-RF2500-SEH kit combines Cymbet Corporation’s EnerChip thin-film battery technology with TI’s MSP430 microcontrollers (MCU), CC2500 radio frequency (RF) transceivers and the eZ430-RF2500 development tool. Developers can now build self powered solar-based wireless sensor networks, eliminating system batteries, which cost time and money to periodically replace, especially in remote locations. The $149 eZ430-RF2500-SEH kit is sampling now and is available via the TI e-store or authorized distributors.